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| Online Courses |
| Computer Geek Books offers a wide range of highly interactive courses that you can take over the Internet. All of our online education courses include expert instructors, many of whom are nationally known authors. Our courses are affordable, fun, fast, convenient, and geared just for you. Ready to explore our catalog? Click on the the courses links at the bottom of this page. |
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| Web Design Training |
Courses > Web Page Design
Click any title below to view a complete course description including a syllabus, instructor biography, prerequisites, and requirements.
Creating Web Pages
Instructor: Craig Power
 Learn how to design, create, and post your very own site on the Internet's World Wide Web. Discover low-cost marketing techniques and search engine strategies.
Creating Web Pages II
Instructor: Craig Power
 Are you using HTML to its fullest potential? In this hands-on course, you'll become adept at using color, tables, and frames to give your Web pages a more polished and professional look, improved navigation, and more organization. Beef up the fun factor with audio and interactive forms, and learn how to save hours of time and effort with Cascading Style Sheets.
Designing Effective Websites
Instructor: Patricia Franks
 This course will teach you powerful graphic design techniques that will help you build Web sites that are attractive and highly effective. You'll learn what attracts visitors to a site, and how you can create the most satisfying experience for those visitors. You'll learn to use typography, aesthetics, color, graphics, and page layout to create the most compelling user interface possible, and you'll understand how users read on the Web and the characteristics of effective Web writing.
Introduction to Dreamweaver MX 2004
Instructor: Robert Fuller
 If you want to be a Web designer, you need to know Dreamweaver MX 2004. In this highly interactive, project-oriented course, a Web pro will help you harness the full potential of this industry-standard development tool. You'll find out how to create, arrange, and format text, images, hyperlinks, tables, and various other media types. You'll also examine intelligent page design - with an emphasis on avoiding common layout errors.
Introduction to Flash MX 2004
Instructor: Mark Futterman
 In this six-week online course, you'll learn how to use Flash MX 2004 to create dynamic, entertaining, and interactive Web sites and other projects. You'll discover the basic tools and techniques for making a Flash movie. You'll use Flash to create and modify graphics and text, build simple animations, and design Web site navigation buttons. Before you know it, you'll have a solid understanding of Flash and how best to make it work for you.
Introduction to Microsoft FrontPage 2003
Instructor: Scott Jernigan
 Learn the essentials of Microsoft's popular Web site-building software. You'll begin with an introduction to basic Web design principles, and you'll explore the interface and features of the FrontPage program. Then, you'll learn how to manipulate words and images to create a site worthy of publishing to the Internet. By the end of the course, you'll be armed with all the knowledge you need to create an attractive, well-designed, and functional Web site.
Achieving Top Search Engine Positions
Instructor: Robert Viers
 With nearly 90% of web traffic coming from search engines, the most important thing you can do to increase your web site's traffic is to increase your search engine ranking. Learn proven, step-by-step strategies to achieve the highest position with the major search engines.
Introduction to Dreamweaver MX
Instructor: Robert Fuller
Master the best and most widely used Web design tool available. You'll find out how to create and format text, images, hyperlinks, tables, and various other media types. You'll also examine page design - with an emphasis on avoiding common layout errors.
Introduction to Microsoft FrontPage 2002
Instructor: Scott Jernigan
No time to learn HTML? Find out how FrontPage 2002 makes it easy to create and upload professional web sites without programming. |
| SEO Training |
Courses > > Achieving Top Search Engine Positions
 Learn how to achieve top search engine positioning in this highly-interactive, six-week course. Discover how search engines work and how important events have shaped the entire Search Engine Optimization (SEO) industry. Learn which search engines are used the most frequently, and which ones you must absolutely get your site listed in. Master important HTML tags and understand how to use them effectively and ethically. Explore exciting and free online tools that can help you choose the most popular keywords related to the topic of your Web site. Domain, folder, and file naming conventions are discussed along with content layout and its effect on search engine positions. The entire SEO cycle is covered in detail, from primary keyword selection through the post-submission analysis. By the end of this course, you will have the knowledge and the know-how to achieve top search engine positions!
This course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your questions. The instructor for this course will be Robert Viers.
 Bob Viers is an accomplished Search Engine Optimization expert, Web programmer, and online author. He has obtained multiple top-ten listings in major search engines for Web sites with widely varying topics. Mr. Viers is currently responsible for obtaining and maintaining top search engine positioning for a large corporation. His online tutorials and technical reviews have been enjoyed by thousands of Web surfers worldwide.
To purchase this course, click here
Requirements:
Internet access, E-mail, Internet Explorer or Netscape or Firefox Web browser, Completion of the 'Creating Web Pages' course or equivalent HTML experience, and a computer of any type.
Syllabus:
All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
A new section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.
| Week One |
| Wednesday - Lesson 01 |
In the lesson, you'll learn about the fascinating history of search engines. You'll discover the differences between search engines and directories, and you'll find out which ones you must get your Web site listed in.
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| Friday - Lesson 02 |
Today, you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at how search engines actually work. This fundamental knowledge is essential for you to obtain the highest search engine rankings possible!
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| Week Two |
| Wednesday - Lesson 03 |
Developing a keyword list is one of the most important things you can do to get your Web site listed with search engines. This lesson includes step-by-step instructions for creating astounding, comprehensive keyword lists that are second to none.
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| Friday - Lesson 04 |
| In today's lesson, you'll learn how to perform a pre-submission analysis of your Web site. You'll learn the determining factors in keyword effectiveness. You'll also learn about an online tool that you can use to determine the Keyword Effectiveness Index of any keyword! |
| Week Three |
| Wednesday - Lesson 05 |
In this lesson, we'll focus on highly important HTML tags that greatly affect search engine optimization. You'll learn which tags to use, where to use them, and which parameters to include.
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| Friday - Lesson 06 |
Today, you'll learn how the layout of your Web site content can greatly impact your search engine rankings. You'll master the ability of developing the portions of a Web page that are heavily scrutinized by search engines. You'll also learn about the importance of using content related keywords.
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| Week Four |
| Wednesday - Lesson 07 |
In this lesson, you'll find out how domain names and file naming conventions can positively affect your search engine rankings. You'll learn which naming conventions work, and which characters to use when separating words within a filename or a domain name. You'll also discover how to develop gateway pages, which function as alternate entrances to your Web site.
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| Friday - Lesson 08 |
Today, you'll learn about spamming techniques to stay away from. Many novices accidentally use some of these techniques, and their use is often detrimental to search engine rankings. You'll also find out how much keyword usage is acceptable, and how much can be considered over-usage.
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| Week Five |
| Wednesday - Lesson 09 |
This lesson is all about the ins and outs of submitting your Web sites to search engines. You'll find out about a free service that enables you to submit your Web site to 12 major search engines all at one time.
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| Friday - Lesson 10 |
After you submit your Web site to a search engine, you'll need to monitor your success. Today, you'll discover how to do this in a post-submission analysis. You'll learn how to determine your rankings and how to view server log files to obtain information about your visitors. You'll also find out about referral logs, which can show you where your visitors are coming from.
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| Week Six |
| Wednesday - Lesson 11 |
Today, we'll explore powerful online promotion techniques that can dramatically improve your search engine rankings. You'll discover how newsgroups and e-mail signatures can play a powerful role in marketing your site. You'll also learn how noncompeting site links can add validity to your site and improve your rankings.
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| Friday - Lesson 12 |
In our final lesson, we'll discuss how you can improve your search engine rankings through offline promotion. We'll examine affiliate programs that can be highly beneficial. Finally, you'll learn how to monitor the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.
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| Student Reviews |
- "Good Course. I have taken a number of internet courses. I enjoyed this one too, perhaps more than some."
- "Enjoyed the course very much! It was my first exposure to on-line education and I was very impressed with the knowledge I felt able to absorb, and the pacing of the classes. Thanks so much."
- "Great course! Everything I expected and more."
- "Great, lots of reading but good!"
- "There was much more interaction with an instructor than I thought there would be."
- "Thanks, this was very valuable information, not generally available."
- "Good course! Some of the lessons were quite long, but due to the nature of the material probably necessarily so."
- "This course set me straight on why I was unable to get listed on several search engines. I have started work to generate SEPOG pages on several categories of products I sell on the Internet. This course answered many questions. Thanks for the great material."
- "I would never have guessed what it takes to achieve top search engine positions. The course was a lot of work, but very helpful to me as I launch a web based business. Thanks!"
- "Very good course and teacher. I never realized the amount of work necessary to obtain top search engine results. Assignments were tough but necessary."
- "I really learned a lot from this course. I am in the process of developing another web site which will need to have a very high search position and this class will help me achieve this goal. I didn't realize there was so much to achieving high position ratings. Thank you for all your knowledge and expertise."
- "The instructor was very knowledgeable and had a great way of expressing the information. He made everything very understandable and did a very good job of using examples to illustrate the lesson information. He was VERY in-depth and thorough on every single topic that was covered. I plan on keeping all of the lessons as a reference guide for the future."
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| Programming Online Training |
Courses > Database Management & Programming
Click any title below to view a complete course description including a syllabus, instructor biography, prerequisites, and requirements.
Introduction to Database Development
Instructor: Allen Taylor
 A number of powerful tools are available to help you build databases and database applications. However, if you do not apply a systematic, structured approach to the use of those tools, you will probably produce systems that fail to meet user needs. Many projects bog down or are never completed for lack of a disciplined approach to development. This course will guide you step-by-step through all the phases of a system development project to guarantee that the resulting product will not only work as it was designed to work, but also that the design truly responds to user needs.
Introduction to SQL
Instructor: Cecelia Allison
 Learn the key concepts of Structured Query Language (SQL) and gain a solid working knowledge of this powerful and universal database programming language. You'll learn the basic structure of relational databases, how to read and write simple and complex SQL statements, and advanced data manipulation techniques.
Introduction to Oracle
Instructor: Cindy Delia
 Learn how to use the Oracle database management system to plan, organize, and manage your data. This course will introduce you to the Structured Query Language (SQL), Oracle's SQL*Plus, and other valuable tools used to develop, manage, and reference an Oracle database. You will learn how to create an Oracle database, build various database objects for the database, and write simple SQL statements that access the data from the database.
Intermediate Oracle
Instructor: Cindy Delia
 Gain hands-on experience with Oracle's PL/SQL programming language, with expert assistance from an IT veteran. PL/SQL is Oracle's procedural language extension to Structured Query Language (SQL). This course will give you the skills you need to write powerful and flexible programs using that language. You'll learn the building blocks and core features of PL/SQL, and you'll begin building fully functional PL/SQL programs with procedures, packages, debugging routines, database structures, triggers, and cursor processing.
Introduction to Sybase
Instructor: Cindy Delia
 Plan, organize, and gain control over your data with the Sybase database management system. In this highly interactive course, you'll become familiar with the Structured Query Language (SQL), ISQL, Sybase Central, and other valuable tools you'll need if you want to develop, manage, and reference a Sybase database. You will learn how to create a Sybase database from scratch, improve its usefulness with database objects, and write simple SQL statements to extract the information you need from any Sybase database.
Introduction to Microsoft Access 2003
Instructor: Craig Power
 Learn how to use this powerful and award-winning database to store, locate, print, and automate access to just about any type of important information.
Intermediate Microsoft Access 2003
Instructor: Alan Simpson
 Learn how to create real-world business databases using Microsoft Access 2003. Master the secrets of making the computer--not people--do all the work. Create tables, queries, forms, reports, and macros for managing contacts, products, orders, invoices, and receipts. Pull all the pieces together with a single, easy-to-use switchboard.
Introduction to Crystal Reports 10
Instructor: Allen Taylor
 Learn how to use Crystal Reports to convert raw database or accounting data into meaningful and readable reports. Impress your peers, clients, and superiors by discovering new ways to convey information. By the time you finish this course, you'll be able to create a wide variety of handsome and sophisticated reports that communicate more--much more--than mere facts. You'll also be able to use charts and maps to present information visually, and cross-tabs to show correlations between loosely related data items. You'll even find out how to save yourself time and effort by creating a library of custom functions you can use over and over in report after report.
Introduction to the Game Industry
Instructor: Tom Meigs
 Leading game designer prepares you for a career in game development, design, and production.
Creating User Requirements Documents
Instructor: Nidhi Misra
 Your success as a developer depends almost entirely on your ability to meet or exceed your customers' every expectation. This course will show you, step by step, how to discover and document precisely what your customer wants. You will learn how to gather, manage, and document user requirements for any type of project in any industry.
C++ for the Absolute Beginner
Instructor: Jeffrey Kent
 Learn how to program in C++, even if you have no prior programming experience! Create programs for Microsoft Windows using Borland C++ Builder. Learn Object-Oriented techniques, how to create windows and forms, and how to program in a step-by-step nature. This course is ideal whether you're an enthusiast, a business person hoping to advance your career, or someone who already knows how to program but wants to move ahead to C++ and Object-Oriented Programming.
C# Programming for the Absolute Beginner
Instructor: Mike Orsega
 Learn the fundamentals of computer programming with the hot new C# programming language. You'll begin with an exploration of input/output operations, decision making, looping, and object oriented programming principles. Then, you'll gain hands-on experience using sequential data files, and you'll build your very own Graphical User Interface (GUI) application. Learn to program the right way: by using a state-of-the-art language to build impressive and professional-looking applications on your schedule and on your very own computer.
Computer Graphics Programming with OpenGL
Instructor: Merrill Hall
 Create amazing graphic effects for games, movies, television, and the Web using OpenGL and C++. OpenGL is the most widely used computer graphics toolset in the programming industry. In this highly interactive hands-on class, you'll learn how to create points, lines, polygons, curves, 3D objects, color, surfaces, textures, light sources, shading, perspective, transformations, and more. Prepare for a career developing games, movie special effects, illustrations, and advertisements.
Introduction to Perl Programming
Instructor: Nathan Meyers
 Learn Perl, a powerful and easy-to-use scripting language used on PCs, servers, and on the Internet for a wide range of programming problems. Perl is as capable - and often as fast - as C, C++, and Java, but is easier to learn and does not require the sort of software development tools and environments required by those languages. Perl is also more portable and supported on a greater variety of computers than many other computing languages. Perl programming skills are especially valuable for Web developers, software developers, and system administrators.
Introduction to VBA
Instructor: Ruth Hadad
 Discover the time-saving power of document automation. Cut through the mystery of object-oriented programming, the Word object model, and the logical structure of the Visual Basic for Applications language by developing a customized document automation program, lesson by lesson.
Introduction to Visual Basic .NET
Instructor: Jeffrey Kent
 Visual Basic .NET is the most widely used programming language and development tool for creating Windows applications. The Visual Basic .NET programming language is very easy to learn, and the Visual Basic .NET development environment enables you to rapidly build Windows applications with little more than a few clicks of your mouse. By the end of this course, you will be writing your own sophisticated Windows applications. You'll also understand event-driven and object-oriented programming concepts that will help you master both Visual Basic .NET and other programming languages.
Intermediate Visual Basic .NET
Instructor: Jeffrey Kent
 Gain in-demand skills writing sophisticated Windows programs that access and modify business databases and implement Structured Query Language. This course will be ideal if you are a Visual Basic .NET programmer and you want to upgrade your programming skills or prepare yourself for a new and exciting line of work.
Project Management @ e-Speed
Instructor: Tom Myers
 With accelerated schedules driving many technology projects today, the smart project manager must rapidly retool their skill set. This course offers a breakthrough model for dealing with the realities of managing projects at supersonic speeds. Learn to meet and win the challenges of truncated timelines, short-staffed project teams, skimpy budgets and crippling risks.
Managing Technical Professionals
Instructor: Irv Gamal
 Leadership is central to attracting the best people and gaining the best from them. It is the optimum measure of organizational performance--period. The straightforward answer for managers today is understanding what the newest generation of technical professionals need and how to effectively provide it. Do you know how you can be more of a leader and less of a manager? This stimulating on-line course will help you solve that complex riddle.
Introduction to Visual Basic 6.0
Instructor: Jeffrey Kent
Visual Basic is the most widely used programming language and development tool for creating Windows applications. This programming language is easy to learn, and the development environment enables you to rapidly build Windows applications. Write Windows programs with rich Graphical User Interface (GUI), using the Visual Basic programming and development environment. You also will achieve an understanding of the principles of object-oriented and event-driven programming that you can use not only in Visual Basic but also in other programming languages you may later learn. Finally, debugging, and error-handling techniques, as well as finding additional help resources are woven into the course.
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| Student Reviews |
- "This course was very beneficial to me in developing my professional skills."
- "I found this course extremely useful to me,a non-professional individual attempting to understand the science of database management for application to personal use.While I don't have a background in computer work, I could decipher most of the technology except for definitions."
- "I really learned a lot from this class. I wish I had taken it earlier."
- "This was my first online course and I now I feel I could take another. The course material was designed well and enhanced my knowledge in this area. I also took a class on campus during the summer and will, hopefully, be able to do so again in the Fall. It was a wonderful experience and I wish to thank all for a job well done!"
- "The course was very useful. I was designing a database when I took the course. With this information, I went back through the porcess and re-designed the database. It was greatly improved."
- "This was a good course overall. Although I have worked with databases extensively over the last few years, I learned quite a bit of new information especially on the underlying theory."
- "This course was just what I needed to get me started on a project I was assigned at work. I has no prior database experience and I now feel comfortable enough to complete a project that is in no way a simple database."
- "This course was very helpful to me. It gave me a good start in developing a database of orders/parts/inventories. The lessons were well-written and easy to follow, but were also challenging."
- "This was a great help in refreshing database design. Thanks for a wonderful course. You covered more in the 12 lessons than two extremely boring Access all-day courses [from another provider]."
- "This is my 3rd on-line course and I found them all to be excellent. I'm really impressed on how well these courses are written. It's great to be able do all your course work, at any hour of the day, from home and not to have to drive to a pre-scheduled class and listen to a live lecture. Thank you for these on-line courses."
- "I recommended this course to many others. It was great."
- "This lesson was well done and easy to follow. Really helped me get a more thorough grip on the material."
- "Great course! This week I was able to contribute in a conversation about ODBC and API in a 3-tier environment. I couldn't do that before taking this course. Thanks!"
- "Thank you Allen for a very interesting and challenging course. I think the last two lessons have made me realize how much more I have to learn in this area."
- "I am a QA Engineer between jobs. I've been testing database heavy applications for years and have been using lots of different databases in my job, but I have never had formal training in it. I am using my "free" job searching time to learn more about developing databases. It seems I got into an excellent class. Your writing, Allen, is so precise -- I am enjoying reading your class material. Thanks so much! I wish other classes were written as well as this one."
- "I enjoyed this course and would not hesitate taking another course with this instructor."
- "As someone whose use of computers began in the days of punch cards, this was a very good course. Professor Taylor's discussion of database history was very helpful to me. Even though I have a Microsoft Certification in Access, I learned quite a lot about basic database structure and how to deliver a proposal to clients. It is obvious that Professor Taylor has done all that - many times over. The supplementary material links with each lesson were great."
- "Good course overall ... informative, basically clear and definitely well worth my efforts in taking."
- "These first four lessons have been a valuable reminder to me how important good design and research is in a database development project. No way to blow through these design steps if I want a good end product! I think I tried to do careful planning in my earlier database project, but did not do as well as I should have/could have done because I did not have the benefit of the organized and methodical information you are giving us in these lessons. Thanks! I am excited to continue."
- "I truly enjoyed this course and plan to take the next levels of database devlopment as time allows. I do look forward to additional courses offered by this same instructor."
- "I am a very busy professional and I found this course to be EXACTLY what I needed to expand my knowledge areas. The instructor is very knowledgeable and was in-step 100% with the current industry leaders opinions and best practice recommendations."
- "An Excellent Course. Thank you, Allen!"
- "Very much enjoyed the course and feel that the course offered a great deal of useful knowledge - am especially impressed with the instructor's writing style which is very succinct, leaving no room for misinterpretation - extremely effective course style in all ways."
- "The course was great! I really liked the online discussion area because I knew I could post a question and get a response in a very short period of time. In many cases, course mates may have already posted the same or similar question and all I had to do was read and gain more clarification on the material. What's even cool is that questions that I might not have asked were asked in the discussion area. The impact was an even greater understanding of the material for me and looking forward to my next visit upon completion of reading each lesson. Now that I have a clear understanding of what database development is about, I look forward to taking additional courses and possibly pursuing a career in this direction."
- "Great class - thanks! I got a lot out of it and am looking forward to more. Thanks!"
- "This course helped me to better understand the database software and how the components relate. The additional reading was very helpful."
- "I liked the course very much and it has changed my view (in a positive and constructive manner), on how to approach building a database. I especially liked the introduction to the course as it gave me an insight as to the background of students undertaking this course. This is especially interesting as students are from different parts of the world."
- "Great class - thanks! I I will refer back to it I am sure. And I will take more classes like it soon!"
- "Great course and helpful in my work. I still need an advance course to do my in Access but for now I can continue to experiment with the additional information that I gained. I would take more courses from him and tell others."
- "Very interesting course. I liked it."
- "The class on normalization and E-R models really helped me. I learned a lot. Thank you Professor Taylor!"
- "Great illustrations of user data model, E-R model, MS Access, SQL, and Database Application using Access."
- "I thought the course was very interesting, and the way the course was formatted really got your attention. It shows that the instructor was very knowledgeable about the course. I would recommend it to anyone who is just learning Database Development, and even if you are familiar with the Developmental areas it can help you look at the process differently."
- "Allen, thanks very much for your help!! I wish the course were longer, but all good things must come to an end. I look forward to future contact with you. Again, thanks for a good course!!!!!"
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| Graphic Design Training Courses |
Courses > Web Graphics & Multimedia
Click any title below to view a complete course description including a syllabus, instructor biography, prerequisites, and requirements.
Introduction to FreeHand MX
Instructor: Kathy Marrs
 Harness the power of Freehand MX to create stunning logos, brochures, book covers, flyers, Web graphics, and more! Gain an understanding of the dramatic differences between creating designs for onscreen viewing and creating images for printing. Quickly convert your printable artwork into Web-compatible designs. Integrate Freehand with Fireworks, Flash, and Dreamweaver for a total Web development solution. Learn how to publish your illustrations in a variety of formats, including print, Web, Adobe PDF, and Macromedia Flash.
Introduction to Flash MX 2004
Instructor: Mark Futterman
 In this six-week online course, you'll learn how to use Flash MX 2004 to create dynamic, entertaining, and interactive Web sites and other projects. You'll discover the basic tools and techniques for making a Flash movie. You'll use Flash to create and modify graphics and text, build simple animations, and design Web site navigation buttons. Before you know it, you'll have a solid understanding of Flash and how best to make it work for you.
Imaging for the Web Using Fireworks MX 2004
Instructor: Kathy Marrs
 Tap into the power of Fireworks MX 2004 to create dynamic Web graphics, including logos, buttons, rollovers, image swaps, animation, and more. Learn to use Fireworks alone to produce interactive Web pages without writing any code, or integrate your creations with Dreamweaver or Flash for a truly remarkable total Web solution.
Introduction to Macromedia Director MX 2004
Instructor: James Gonzalez
 Master the world's leading multimedia production tool and gain skills that are in high demand. Learn how to create high-impact applications for distribution on CD-ROMs and the Web. Combine text, graphics, audio, video, and animated elements to create dazzling interactive presentations, even if you're completely new to the world of multimedia and animation.
Drawing for the Absolute Beginner
Instructor: Chad Walker
 Have you always been interested in drawing, but never really knew how to get started? If so, then this is definitely the course for you! Gain a solid foundation and understanding of the basics to drawing and become the artist you've always dreamed you could be! In this course, an expert instructor will guide you through an exciting and informative exploration of drawing materials, set up procedures, lighting and rendering techniques, design and layout methods, and more.
Imaging for the Web Using Fireworks MX
Instructor: Kathy Marrs
Tap into the power of Fireworks MX to create dynamic Web graphics, including logos, buttons, rollovers, image swaps, animation, and more. Learn to use Fireworks alone to produce interactive Web pages without writing any code, or integrate your creations with Dreamweaver or Flash for a truly remarkable total Web solution.
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