Knowledge of Javascript is a must. This is a recently updated essential reference.

Written for creative beginners, approaches learning Flash by organizing more by overlying concepts, rather than the specific technologies & techniques used in the program. Instead of organizing this book around concepts like Motion/Shape Tweening or MovieClips, which means little to a beginner, there are chapters like "Animating Your Drawings" & "Interacting with Your Audience."

Takes beginning Flash users from timelines to OOP and the concept of classes. Don't let the book's use of ActionScript 2.0 & Flash 8 discourage you from getting it. It teaches timeless concepts.

The previous title goes into design patterns, but to those unfamiliar with OOP, this book will help make the concept clearer. Java is the implementation language in this book.

Helps intermediate to advanced ActionScripters plan and build applications more effectively. You learn how to apply design patterns as solutions to common programming scenarios. Beyond a reference, this book is a practical guide complete with sample mini-applications illustrating each design pattern. The accompanying CD includes a trial version of Flash 8 along with all the lesson files needed.

If you have the previous edition don't bother upgrading. With the exception of placing everything in a class structure for Actionscript 3.0, the new edition lacks novel content. There are no new techniques, projects, nor animations. Also, the programs may be written in classes, but often the programs don't take advantage of the object oriented techniques encouraged in 3.0 actionscript.

If you liked these last 2 titles but want to know more about what's under the hood mathematically in animation algorithms.

Mainly about inspiration. It has lots of code and ideas, but it is definitely not a mathematics textbook.

FCS provides web developers with the means to facilitate interactive apps such as video on demand, live web-casts, multi-user games, etc.

Macromedia Component Architecture is a framework of components written in ActionScript 2, based on design patterns, that provides functionality you can bolt to your Flash applications. Due in 2/06.

The only good book for learning game programming using Flash & ActionScript is actually a great beginners book. Even if you're not interested in game programming you'll learn alot.

Continues where the last book left off with genetic algorithms & neural nets. Good for Flash game developers.

Shows how to build RIAs that leverage the Flash Player with a development model similar to JavaServer Pages and ASP.NET. Plenty of practical and useful examples explain how and why to use a particular feature, when to use it and when not to. You'll learn to use a markup code called MXML, as well as built-in components, ActionScript, and more-familiar paradigms to build Flash-based applications.