Intelligent Java Applications for the Internet and Intranets

Rating:
Summary: Lousy introduction to AI
Review: "Intelligent Java Applications" was my first introduction to neural networks and AI in general, when I bought the book a couple of years ago. It took an undergraduate neural modeling class at an Ivy League university before I appreciated what a lousy introduction to neural networks this book actually is. Watson glosses over all of the theoretical basis of neural networks, and does an inadequate job of explaining just what a neural network is and how it works. The author could have easily explained (in a paragraph) what a linear associator is, before launching into the more convoluted, multiple-layer back-prop algorithm that is presented in the book. If you want a real book on neural networks (along with neurophysiological, theoretical, and historical developments), I highly recommend "Introduction to Neural Networks" by James Anderson.

Watson also wastes paper by baby-stepping the reader through some useless GUI and networking packages that makes his code presentable (when run) but much more difficult to decipher. A useful AI tutorial would not be so tied to a specific language. Alas, I have a feeling that the Java reference, as well as the "For the Internet and Intranets" subtitle was a clever bait-and-switch tactic to sell more copies of this book. If you're interested in the function of AI rather than the theory (if, suppose, you're progamming a game), then this book might be useful. But I have a feeling that better resources exist if this is your avenue of interest.

I have not, as of yet, done much course-based or indepenent research on expert systems, genetic algorithms, character recognition, natural language processing, or any of the other topics that are covered in this book. But I have a feeling that, if I do, I'll find the rest of Watson's material similarly lacking.

Rating:
Summary: Lousy introduction to AI
Review: a bluff

It shoulnd't take that much plain common sense for the author to understand that he could have done a decent job updating the code contained in the book, and tat its installation work. I wonder what is the big deal about royalties and stuff the author mentioned in relation to it.

Apparently this book was out of press 1997. On page 343 "Using the CD-ROM" the author claims to have tested the code using the JDK 1.0 (really) and JDK 1.1. THe author also claims to keep code updates on his Web site, but then when you go there you find that, as he adjectively specifies, "some" code has been updated for Java 1.2 and Java 1.3, along with some poetic remarks like "code which age will be noticed" or something like that.

I even pondered about cleaning myself the whole code and sending it to the author, but it is not really worthy, you can find better Java code online about almost each of the chapters. There were only some stuff regarding wand writing mapping that you could go over in a Barnes and Nobel session.

If you are into the AI thing, read the procedings and specialized books. I think, and I am highly interested in the topic from a semiotic perspective myself, AI, is sort of science fiction, hype, ..., it hasn't evoled into something sensical yet. Big blue beating Kasparov isn't AI yet. Right on the first page of the introduction the author says that one of the problems AI tries to solve is the generation of " Creative thoughts exemplified by new and remarkable theorems in MAthematics... and novel theories in other sciences ..."

Sir, this is a core semantic problem not a sintactic one, you operate machines, design models, transmit data, etc. on a sintactic level by means of a physical carrier. I wonder what you are talking about there.

I returned the book whithin hours thinking, "If the author would at least have taken care of the code?"

Rating:
Summary: Artificial Intelligence in a Nutshell
Review: Intelligent Java Applications for the Internet and Intranets is a fascinating book, dealing with the subject of artificial intelligence (AI). Watson covers both the theory of artificial intelligence techniques, and gives practical source code to demonstrate its application. He provides readers with a complete set of packages for implementing specific AI techniques in their own applications, and spends a substantial portion of the book giving real-world examples, such as a handwriting recognition application, a natural language parsing system that answers questions about ancient history, and an application that can retrieve information from web sites or access email from a POP mailbox.

This book gives clear explanations of the theory behind the AI techniques the author discusses, as well as object diagrams in Booch notation showing each of the major classes. It is an excellent book for learning more about artificial intelligence techniques, and for learning how to apply these techniques in real world applications. It also provides readers with plenty of sample Java source code to examine, and some great applications that demonstrate the packages supplied by the author.

Rating:
Summary: Terrible - ZERO didactic value
Review: This book fails miserably at explaining anything. The examples dissuaded me to purchase it only to find out that simple explanations about how it AI works are nowhere to be found (there is however superfluous and distracting commentary on simple Java things like Runnable, Applets, there's even networking code for a POP mail client which really ought to be delegated to support code outside from the book's topic). The examples themselves typically have no comments, even if they are several pages long. Later chapters provide more insight, however when you are looking to learn something, the "simpler" topics are glossed over.

The Java code also leaves a lot to be desired, it doesn't follow standard java naming conventions for instance variables and method names and the style is so varied and terrible (sometimes instance variables are declared at the top, sometimes at the bottom) that reading the code becomes a chore (and all that without commentary.

Some web pages on the net provide more useful information.

Rating:
Summary: Terrible - ZERO didactic value
Review: This book fails misserably at explaining anything. The examples disuaded me to purchase it only to find out that simple explanations about how it AI works are no where to be found. The examples themselves typically have no comments, even if they are several pages long. Later chapters provide more insight, however when you are looking to learn something, the "simpler" topics are glossed over.

The Java code also leaves a lot to be desired, it doesn't follow standard java naming conventions for variables and the style is so varied and terrible (sometimes instance variables are declared at the top, sometimes at the bottom) that reading the code becomes a chore (and all that without commentary.)

Some web pages on the net provide more useful information.