Rating: 
Summary: A book on *using* OOP
Review:
After reading some of the less flattering reviews of this book, it seems that many reviewers were expecting a book on object-oriented programming in general. If you want to learn how program, this is not the book for you. This book is about *using* object-oriented techniques to architect systems. The content you should take away from it is entirely independent of any particular language.Some of the steps in becoming a good OOP programmer/architect are listed below (1 & 2 are often combined): 1. learn an OO language
2. learn OOP
3. learn how to *use* OOP
Step three is where this book and, for example, books on object-oriented design patterns (GoF) come in. Just because because you know what classes and inheritance are does not mean you will use them effectively. I cannot emphasise the importance of step 3 enough when architecting applications. If you are a coder, simply knowing OOP is fine, as an architect it is simply not enough. In terms of organization, the book starts simple and builds on previous chapters in a very organized way. In the first chapter Booch delves into the philosophy of OOP and complex systems. This kind of broad introduction serves well as a way to show where OO analysis and design stand relative to other engineering disciplines. The only problem I had with the book is the fact that it is a bit dated. It does not use UML (although what it uses is very similar) and even has a chapter devoted to client/server computing. (however, it also has a chapter on AI). If it were not for this its datedness, I would have easily given it 5/5. Overall a great book from one of the father's of modern objected oriented analysis/design.
Rating: 
Summary: Required reading for C++ developers
Review: I bought this book due to a positive comment in B. Stroustrup's "The C++ Programming Language" bibliography. I was not dissapointed. This book covers everything from terminology, to useful notations, to actual application of techniques. I teach C++ as part of my job, and have found many design books to be shallow works which cover proprietary notations, with a few cookbook recipes thrown in. These books commonly show a lack of real development experience, and are more theory than practice. This is not the case with this book, which combines work from many different sources. It also consistently includes references to alternative opinions when covering controversial material. Mr. Booch stresses the need for intelligent, and sometimes ad hoc decisions which are based on good design principles, and are refined as a project evolves. But he doesn't stop there. He explains useful techniques and thought processes which are the primary tools of good OO A&D. This is one of the best design books I have seen to date.
Rating:
Summary: A beacon of light in a world of darkness
Review: After reading the other reviews I have a few comments. 1. In 1994 when this book was published Java was in development and had no ways near the popularity it has today. (According to Cay Hortsmann Java did not burst onto the scene until late 1995) 2. Bertrand Meyer's book is great and contains valuable wisdom, but all of its examples are in Eiffel. While Eiffel is a great language what are my chances finding a job writing Eiffel. But really all of the above comments are pointless. The fact of the matter is that the concepts in an Object-Oriented book should be language independent. However, to be most effective authors reinforce abstract ideas by including concrete examples. Which means the author must pick a language or write in pseudo code. Booch's book is a valuable reference to be used in learning how to apply Object-Oriented concepts to the analysis and design portion of the software development process. It is up to you to know your own problem domain or work with experts who do. I personally write software that deals with weapon trajectories and weapon effects and just because the book does not have any examples on this domain does note mean it is not valuable. The job of this book is to teach me how to think in terms of objects and how to find and design my classes and class hierarchies. It succeeds, Thanks Grady Booch.
Rating:
Summary: good, in context
Review: An excellent introduction to OO programming from one of the field's luminaries. It's a very articulate book, and quite lyrical in parts, at least for a CS text. You should consider this book bearing its limitations in mind: it's certainly not "C++ for complete morons", but more about the aesthetic and architectural aspects of OO designs. Really it is not a very good book for an introductory programming course, but rather something to read after you've been using an OO language for a little while. Secondly, the book presents OO as a good solution for all design situations, when modern consensus is that it is not always so: sometimes procedural, functional, or other approaches are much better. This is perhaps understandable considering when this book was written and by who. A mature reader can bear this in mind, and get a great deal of enjoyment and insight from OOAD.
Rating:
Summary: good, in context
Review: An excellent introduction to OO programming from one of the field's luminaries. It's a very articulate book, and quite lyrical in parts, at least for a CS text. You should consider this book bearing its limitations in mind: it's certainly not "C++ for complete morons", but more about the aesthetic and architectural aspects of OO designs. Really it is not a very good book for an introductory programming course, but rather something to read after you've been using an OO language for a little while. Secondly, the book presents OO as a good solution for all design situations, when modern consensus is that it is not always so: sometimes procedural, functional, or other approaches are much better. This is perhaps understandable considering when this book was written and by who. A mature reader can bear this in mind, and get a great deal of enjoyment and insight from OOAD.
Rating:
Summary: A useful text.
Review: Booch is one of OOA/OOD's gurus and anyone interested in these subjects should give this book a try. The book provides a useful insight to OOA/OOD methodologies. Although the text is somewhat prolix in places, when Booch decides to get into detail he does so with clarity and coherency. The section on applications is invaluable with a wide range of subjects discussed in detail.
Rating:
Summary: Still Works Great!
Review: Even though this book is several years old now, the information inside it is still holding up very well. All important Object Oriented Analysis and Design concepts appear in this book, and are presented in clear, easy-to-understand formats. There are some "problems" with this book, (which is why I reduced my rating to 4 stars. First, the notation -- this book was written before UML was standardized, so the cloud notation Booch introduces is no longer commonly used. Second, the examples are implemented with C++. The author would be performing a great service if he were to re-issue this book using UML notation and Java or C# as the implementaiton language.
Rating:
Summary: Basic literature to get to know object oriented analysis
Review: Every book about object-orientation refers to this classical of Booch. Now I have read it, I can understand why. It explains very easily what object orientation is and which different concepts can be used. For this explanations extra comics are added, which made it very clear to me. About the analysis part I found this book not so strong. It proposed the modeling instruments that are later integrated in UML, but the way how to use these didnot help me a lot.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT BOOK (if you can get past Booch's ego)
Review: Great book. Full of valuable content. The only annoying downside is Grady's ego...he constantly refers to himself in the third person, especially when pointing you to his other books when describing certain content. I suppose he does merit the ego, being one of the top three OOD authors/designers on the planet (Booch, Rumbaugh, and the other guy)...the three tenors??...nope the three UML Designers.
Rating:
Summary: Good book but not a great book..
Review: Have had this book on my bookshelf since 1995. Won several notable jolt awards which says it deserved a look..
First of all, this books is kind of old(1994) and still illustrates using OO diagramming techniques before UML unified the major offerings. The C++ used in the book is not a problem.. its the concepts that are important and are generally well explained.
Second of all, OO methodologies IMO are immature (especially back then) compared to more mature functional analysis and design methodologies(like IE) and this book shows it. Nonetheless, it is a good book to get you up the initial learning curve of OO.
It may not be a dummies book(as some reviewers previously lament) so if your looking for a dummies book look elsewhere. In my opinion it is sparsely full of good OO information.
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