rarebook

I signed up recently via Groupon for GBP49. Negative comments here scared me, but I signed up for the forum to say that so far it is not at all bad, considering it was only the price of a single professional-level computer science textbook. Redemption and activation (after a day) went OK (so far, it is my first day using the course). So far it is good value for my needs. I make a living from website work (a lot of Drupal backend maintenance) but was weak on Javascript, so going through some js and ajax courses in a structured way were my main interest. Sitting down learning from a book or free internet resources is possible but tougher than being walked through it on a structured course (though all learning add something and should be combined). Not being a total beginner I have done half (3 of 6 chapters) of the first of three js units in a morning. I find it more digestible than just buying a book or free tutorials. Yes, it is a dated (I was ready for that), and I am not expecting all the courses to be useful, but I am glad I bought it and have already learned something from it. One caveat is that I am using it critically to extract what I need, and do additional research where necessary. If anyone expects to sign up and be guided from beginner to skilled web developer, that may be unrealistic. For that you probably need a live teacher (which is better but far more expensive). But if you use the materials as an aid to teaching yourself, and as one tool in your toolbox along with free resources, lynda.com style paid online lectures, live conferences and training meetups, O'Reilly books, etc. (or however else you like to learn), making your own judgements about your level and which parts are useful, this course add real value into the mix IMO. It is important to take time to try out what is being presented (rather than just reading on screen).