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Rating: 
Summary: A textbook for an AP Computer Science Class
Review: I have used this textbook to teach AP computer science for the past 3 years. It is well-organized with plenty of examples for the students. However, it seemed to stress C++ more as a structured language rather than an object-oriented language. The textbook and teacher's edition have numerous syntax errors, so watch out! I was dissappointed with the introduction to classes in chapter nine, it threw out way too much, and confused many of my students. Most of the illustrations in the book were fairly clear and easy for the students to understand.
Rating:
Summary: A textbook for an AP Computer Science Class
Review: I have used this textbook to teach AP computer science for the past 3 years. It is well-organized with plenty of examples for the students. However, it seemed to stress C++ more as a structured language rather than an object-oriented language. The textbook and teacher's edition have numerous syntax errors, so watch out! I was dissappointed with the introduction to classes in chapter nine, it threw out way too much, and confused many of my students. Most of the illustrations in the book were fairly clear and easy for the students to understand.
Rating:
Summary: Passable for AP, but lacking
Review: I've used this book to teach AP Computer Science (A level) for 3 years now, and I like the problem sets at the end of each section. BUT, this book does not introduce C++ as an object oriented language - instead it uses C++ as a functional language, leaving behind many of the best features of C++. The AP program has been moving more and more to OO programming, while this book has remained at the same place we were at using Pascal.I won't change books until AP goes to Java for the 2004 exam, but I have to supplement this book in the following three AP topics: files, chapter 7 just needs to be rewritten; classes/objects/OOP, chapter 9 comes too late, especially trying to integrate the MB case study early; sorting, doesn't even cover insertion sort or merge sort - two sorts required for the exam. Also, for AP, chapter 8 (arrays) needs to be integrated with chapter 10 (apvector & apmatrix). In all, the book is usable for teaching the constructs of C++: for, while, if, switch, functions, and I/O. But it lacks in pulling all the concepts together with classes and clear data structure information.
Rating: 
Summary: Good for learning C++
Review: Includes learning how to program by problem solving and creating your own algorithms. Every chapter has a sample program except chapters 1,2, and 11. Also has graphic programing in every chapter except for chapters 1, 11. If you really want to learn C++ this is the book to do it!
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