I have used PS for graphic design for many years and have recently upgraded to PS CS. A few years ago the graphic design led to web design, and I now use PS and IR almost exclusively for design along with Macromedia Flash (where required or requested). Dreamweaver has now been consigned to being a way of organising and uploading sites as opposed to a design tool. I find PS & IR CS much more friendly for website design, especially when using slices and rollovers in ImageReady. I believe ImageReady is the most under utilised of the Adobe packages, and web designers who dismiss it, do so to my benefit! You did the right thing going for 7 if CS was not an option.
If you need a book I would recommend one by Tanya Staples called "Photoshop CS and ImageReady CS for the web." Whilst specifically for CS, the techniques can almost all be used in PS7 as well, although the screenshots will not be 100% accurate for the PS & IR 7 layout. Go
here for more info on the book. I'm not sure if she did a PS7 version before this.
It has loads of great info on optimisation, type, layers, slices, rollovers, animation etc. etc. The one thing it covers that I don't think is available on IR7 is saving animations in SWF as opposed to GIF format.
If you are new to PS & IR it will lead you through the techniques step by step, and if you are more advanced it will still give you a whole load of tips and ways to improve your workflow. It cost me £38.99, but it has paid for itself many times over.
Good luck and above all have fun....
WP - errrr a bit of a PS IR devotee I'm afraid.
