Java 2 Just Click! Solutions

Rating:
Summary: Just Right!
Review: "Java 2 - Just Click! Solutions" is an outstanding introduction to Java programming. Tom Swan has gotten it just right. This is one of the few programming books I've seen that serves as both a great introduction to a programming language, and as a great reference after you've learned the language, and I've looked at a bunch of Java books.
One of the unique features of the book is the hyperlinked index to all the examples. You can load the CD onto your computer, and then easily access any of the examples. This helps make the book a good reference guide. Mostly, however, it is the great organization and useful examples that make this book stand out.
The book is organized into four parts. The first part is a getting started guide, and includes practical advice on just how to get and install the Java development kit from Sun on your Windows or Linux system. This section can save both time and frustration.
The second part is a complete tutorial on the basics of the Java language. While the book's introduction says that no programming experience is needed, the Java tutorial is probably better for someone who has had at least a little experience programming. But it is also really great for an experienced programmer switching to Java. In fact, this introduction to Java is one of the best I've seen anywhere.
I find that parts III and IV are the best part of this book. Tom Swan has succeeded in doing what no one I know of has done - he's made sense out of the Java runtime library. The Java library provides features that every programmer can use, and after reading Tom Swan's presentation and his practical examples, you'll be able to use the library. Part III focuses mostly on the Java collections features (lists, sets, etc.). Part IV covers threads, AWT, Swing, graphics, and I/O. He's gotten it just right - these parts are comprehensive enough, and include enough examples, that you'll be able to understand the most important parts of creating useful Java programs. And you'll know enough to be able to figure out how to use the features that this book doesn't cover.
If this book has any weakness, it is that it is not overly object-oriented. That is not necessarily bad, however, because it is hard to do justice to both a programming language and object orientation in one book. In fact, "Java 2 - Just Click! Solutions" can serve as a great companion to my own book, "The Essence of Object-Oriented Programming with Java and UML", ISBN 0201734109, which will be released in December, 2001.
Bruce Wampler, ObjectCentral.com
Author of the V C++ GUI Framework

Rating:
Summary: Just Right!
Review: "Java 2 - Just Click! Solutions" is an outstanding introduction to Java programming. Tom Swan has gotten it just right. This is one of the few programming books I've seen that serves as both a great introduction to a programming language, and as a great reference after you've learned the language, and I've looked at a bunch of Java books.
One of the unique features of the book is the hyperlinked index to all the examples. You can load the CD onto your computer, and then easily access any of the examples. This helps make the book a good reference guide. Mostly, however, it is the great organization and useful examples that make this book stand out.
The book is organized into four parts. The first part is a getting started guide, and includes practical advice on just how to get and install the Java development kit from Sun on your Windows or Linux system. This section can save both time and frustration.
The second part is a complete tutorial on the basics of the Java language. While the book's introduction says that no programming experience is needed, the Java tutorial is probably better for someone who has had at least a little experience programming. But it is also really great for an experienced programmer switching to Java. In fact, this introduction to Java is one of the best I've seen anywhere.
I find that parts III and IV are the best part of this book. Tom Swan has succeeded in doing what no one I know of has done - he's made sense out of the Java runtime library. The Java library provides features that every programmer can use, and after reading Tom Swan's presentation and his practical examples, you'll be able to use the library. Part III focuses mostly on the Java collections features (lists, sets, etc.). Part IV covers threads, AWT, Swing, graphics, and I/O. He's gotten it just right - these parts are comprehensive enough, and include enough examples, that you'll be able to understand the most important parts of creating useful Java programs. And you'll know enough to be able to figure out how to use the features that this book doesn't cover.
If this book has any weakness, it is that it is not overly object-oriented. That is not necessarily bad, however, because it is hard to do justice to both a programming language and object orientation in one book. In fact, "Java 2 - Just Click! Solutions" can serve as a great companion to my own book, "The Essence of Object-Oriented Programming with Java and UML", ISBN 0201734109, which will be released in December, 2001.
Bruce Wampler, ObjectCentral.com
Author of the V C++ GUI Framework

Rating:
Summary: Good for Just Java - not for OO
Review: An excellent book for the java language alone. Doesn't explain Object Oriented concepts in detail and how it can be used in Java. The examples in this book covers many of the java methods and classes.

It is an excellent book if you already know the concepts of OO and you want to learn the java syntax and semantics. I would say "Beginning Java Objects" by Jacqie Barker is one of best for both OO and Java.

Thanks,
Balaji.



Rating:
Summary: Father of Pascal,Delphi, C+ books adopts a Cool Java Book
Review: The Father of Pascal, Delphi and C++ books adopts a Cool Java Book!

Believe me, if the Internet community decided to elect a father of Programming, Tom will be the winner at least, I will give him my vote. He raised many programmers for the last three decades feeding them his books. I wished he called it "Wanna Java? Ask Dad!"

We know many programmers wonder how to do something in Java, here you go ask dad!

I hope Tom, since he is the most single Delphi qualified - to peek and poke - to bring a Delphi approach for EJB and J2EE to enrich his fans, and addresses APIs such as JNDI and others in order that Delphi meets Java and even bring value to Java servers' nightmares. In security and remote and local objects, you name it.

This book, I recommend you to buy, to look inside a guru programmer how he thinks? I hear you "you say simple" Exactly!

Alan
An ldapguru, so claimed