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Rating: 
Summary: Just what I was looking for.
Review: I'm a relative newbe to programming and Java. (I did BASIC on Apples and little Pascal back in the stone age.) Yet, I'm going to be working with my students in the fall of 1999 to learn Java programming. Yes, I'm the "Teacher", but this is Public education in rural Oregon in the 90's. I am currently taking a course in Java which uses "Learn MS Visual J++ 6.0 Now" by Kevin Ingalis and Daniel Jinguji. As I've been learning this I have been struck by the absurdity of the Window Foundation Class. Java's main claim to fame has been portability. Learn VJ spends way too much time working with the WFC teaching us how to produce programs that will only run on Windows machines. Programs that could be done better and easier using Visual Basic or C++. It's MS's book and Uncle Bill has the right to print what ever he wants, but if you want to learn true Java that is portable, GET THIS BOOK. If you're looking to teach a course on Java programming (as I soon will be) then GET THIS BOOK. Lots of diagrams and theory behind Object Oriented Programming, but best of all are the projects. Each chapter has several projects with clear, step by step directions on how to get the job done. If you're already a C++ programmer, DON'T GET THIS BOOK! It'll be way too slow for you. But for myself and my High School students, this is just the ticket. The price is the only down side. Thanks Mr. Goody.P.S. I'll write another review in a couple of months after I've had some experience using the book in the classroom.
Rating: 
Summary: Overpriced textbook
Review: This book does explain the concept of classes in an easy to understand manner, however it is overpriced for what it offers. It is a text designed for the classroom. There are pages and pages of exercises with no answers, which is not conducive for home study. It also states JDK 1.2 compliant on the cover, which is technically correct, however Microsoft J++ does not incorporate any of the new features of Java 2, nor does the book mention them. Given Microsoft abandoning J++ to Rational, I recommend readers interested in learning Java go with Borland's (Inprise) JBuilder 3 which is also the engine behind Oracle's JDeveloper.
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