Rating: 
Summary: For Serious Java students
Review: Deitel and Deitel have written two books on Java that are intended for serious Java students: this one plus "Advanced Java2 Platform." You will not be able to wade through these two tomes in 21 days. I really consider these two books to be references that are also excellent teaching tools.This book, "Java How to Program Fourth Edition" is very comprehensive since it covers all the necessary Java subjects plus some subjects not normally covered in introductory Java books, for example networking. A rather thorough introduction to many aspects of UML is included as supplementary material at the end of each chapter. There are lots of examples sprinkled throughout the book. The enclosed CD -ROM includes the examples and the JDK so that the student can execute the programs. The color graphics used extensively throughout the book improves understandability greatly. This is a serious Java book for serious Java students. Don't expect to breeze through it, but you will really know Java by its end.
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty Good intro book - with LOTS of coding examples
Review: I'm taking a Java class at the local college & using this as a text. (I'm 20+ years in development, so am not a newbie) Book is VERY readable and easy to understand as opposed to some other Intro Java books out there. Presumes nothing, so there are sections you can skip if you have any programming experience. You can't use this as a reference book though. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn Java, especially if you don't have any OOP.
Rating: 
Summary: Misguided required reading for CS students
Review: Most people who purchase Deitel books do so because it is the required course material for their CS (pick a number) class. Deitel book are needlessly saturated with filler material that do not justify their extremely high cost. You could easily save your money and learn Java by going through the Sun tutorials which are FREE, not to mention the countless online Java tutorials out there (just do a Google search "Java Tutorials"). Stay away from this book! If you have to buy it, then please save some money by purchasing a used book.
Rating:
Summary: Great book for the experts and beginner
Review: I find this book to be very helpful. The Deitel "dynasty" gives excellent examples along with the code. They introduce a concept or command, follow it up with a programming example, and wrap it up by explaining the code in detail. At the end of each chapter they highlight the key points in the chapter, review questions, and many labs (programs you can write using what they introduced). They teach about Object Oriented Programming (OOP) early in the book, wich helps tremendously since Java has a strong OOP foundation. They introduce everything so it's easy to learn. Harder concepts may take the reader a while to understand, so reading over a "confusing" section is what I would encourage. I originally borrowed this book from the school, but am now planning to buy it. It's a great deal for the money you pay.
Rating:
Summary: The Deitel Java Books are great!
Review: I've worked my way through the 3rd Edition and am working on the Advanced volume and the new material in this volume. I like the level of detail provided! After finishing a chapter I feel as though I have a very good start on each topic and (between the two volumes) just about every important topic is covered. I find this book to be clearly written but challenging. The exercises at the end of each chapter help me to find out if I've really learned the material. I like the way that each file is explained in detail in a very structured and systematic way. Everyone should document code as well as the Dietels do! I like the way that this version focuses on Design Patterns and clearly explains the Archetecture of each program using the UML. Another good thing I can say about these books is that I haven't found any code that dosen't compile and run in Windows, Linux, Mac OS and Mac OS/X! The tools that come with the book are useful, but the Advanced volume required me to download most of the APIs from the SUN.com web site.I've asked several questions via e-mail and have gotten a great response from P.D. himself! Yes, they cost more than the others and can require an investment of time to complete! However, I have found them to be extremely helpful!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Only book I have needed
Review: I learned Java solely from this book. I had learned several languages prior to turning to Java. With the help of this book, I was able to become quite proficient very quickly. It has also served as my only needed reference ever since. The intended audience seems to be the novice or even completely new programmer, so the more experienced folks may need to do a little skimming. In any case, I have and will continue to highly recommend this book.
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Summary: Great book , nobody is perfect anyway ...
Review: I wrote a review of the book sometime last year , giving it 3 stars only. But just recently I attended a short programming course on java with this book as the textbook used by the instructor. At first I was disappointed, because I already have this book for quite sometime but can't seem to learn so much, but then only through the training that I learned the technique to appreciate this book greatly : that one must type every example first, analyze the output and read the book. Second, you must supplement your learning with another book, I recommend SAMs in 21 days. Only by typing the examples and understanding it will you then appreciate this great great book. Thanks Deitel !
Rating:
Summary: Thank you Deitel & Associates
Review: Book Review:
Java How to Program, 4th ed.
Advanced Java™ 2 Platform How to Program
Deitel & Deitel I finished three java programming courses at Santa Monica College two of which required the Java How to Program, 4th ed., the other was a java w/data structures course and I used the Java How to Program, 4th ed. and the instructors lecture notes. I bought the advanced book to learn more about java and the net, java 2d, 3d and j2me since I am into pc and online video games development, and data base connections with jdbc since I know sql. Design patterns and enterprise java case study give industrial strength business applications. The authors packed and packed java into these books.
The books are easy to follow, and everything works. I found the exercises challenging but not overwelming. I have not ran across an exercise I cannot do, although some require in depth study of the topics covered. And when if all comes together it's fun. The chapters build on each other very well, and the materials moves fast and stays interesting. The cd's have everything I need to get started: what to install, how to install it, how to set the environment. The forte community edition is packed with java building and debugging tools that make java programming faster and easier to follow. Try the Reformat Code tool, and check out the text coloring. I cannot say enough about these authors and their materials. Anybody getting into java programming will be more than satisfied for a long time. Thank you Deitel & Associates
Rating:
Summary: Long winded but comprehensive
Review: As a caveat to what I say here, I have only read the first three chapters so far, but have a feel for the presentation and am determined to stick it through to the end. I have to agree with the comment from another user that this book is very wordy - excessive chunks of the first chapter are devoted to how they intend to teach Java, and how the way that they teach it is great. I'm into Chapter 3 and they are still going through the same repeated descriptions of how // means something is a comment, and making the same point in three different box-outs on the same page. If you require things to be drummed in this much, maybe programming is beyond you? I like the fact that they have jumped into Swing early on - the GUI elements are essential for writing programs that can be used by other people and it is quite depressing to hack through 15 chapters of a programming book and still only be able to produce command line applications. Overall, what has been covered so far is covered very comprehensively and explained well, and I feel I am learning, but the book could do with an editor condensing the material to make it more concise. A job for Reader's Digest's Condensed Book division?!
Rating: 
Summary: Wordy
Review: This books is extremely wordy. It does not exhaust itself in terms of words. As a beginners book, it's fairly decent, the book assumes that you have little to no java experience. I knew a little bit of java, and therefore reading the book became mundane. The syntax and semantics are well coded, the code is almost "english" like. Very, very readable code examples. My biggest gripe is that Applets are taught in the early chapters. I find that to be antithetical, first learn Java coding and OOP because applets fall under that schema of OOP and a solid foundation will make applets easier. A caveat to beginners, remember that this book is wordy, so better pay attention!
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