Beginners Guide

An Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming With Java

Format: Paperback
Author: C. Thomas Wu (Otani)
ReleaseDate: 13 January, 2005
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math
Rating:

Visual Java Teaching Book
Suitable for beginners to intermediate level and a bit more. A good visual book, teaching by the UML diagrams. Nice colorful book. With the help of "Sample Developments" this book will give you some real practical experiments throughout each chapter. My suggestion for those who want to begin Java with no prior programming experience is "Java 60 Minutes a Day" which you can find it in my review list. In my view, as an intermediat programmer, is a bit difficult to understand core java with this book.

Good for beginner
However, there is less topic covered. This book is good for java beginner and it is highly recommended for anyone who wants to learn java in a fun and with more graphic. It is highly expect that more area coverage in later edition.

Better than the best cup of Java
I absolutly loved it!

In my opinion, this is an excellent book for those who know NOTHING about programming. Note: OOP = object oriented princibles OOT = object oriented technology

This was the textbook used for the introduction to computer programming class I just finished taking during 2004. The first few chapters deal with the basics of programming in general. Then the book quickly and gently introduces the object oriented side of programming. Thus, the bulk of the book is developing both your general programming skills along with your OOP java skills.

What I loved about the book was that it was so remarkably easy to read. Important words/concepts are reiterated throughout to reinforce memory. Everything is explained with only the neccesary technical jargon. Terms and concepts are gradually and thoughtfully introduced, and then used appropriatly throughout the following chapters. I'm guessing about 1/3 of every page consists of diagrams, reinforcing what is read in a wonderfully clear visual mannor. Furthermore, the book provides the information in a surprisingly VISUAL mannor (lots of diagrams and pretty color pages); this is fabulous for first time programmers, especially since programming is inheirantly non-visual.

I admit Java isn't the easiest language to learn, like Basic, however it is remarkably sophisticated. Java does not involve either the complex syntax of C++ or the dangerously powerful and yet complicated pointers of C (also C++).

Java is not linked to a specific platform like Visual Basic, which is MS Windows ONLY (do we really need to be more dependant on MS). Although C# is almost identical to Java in terms of object oriented technology and syntax (MS stole the whole thing from Sun!), Java is not eternally latched to the MS beast.

Unlike the oh-so-easy Basic language, Java is extraodinarly versitile and practical with uses from typical desktop application programming to wickedly awsome web-application development arena, which is not practical with the popular C and C++ languages.

Ultimatly the splendar of Java revolves around its wonderful OOP design. For me, developing a Java app. is like createing a piece of architectural artwork. Java's unadulterated use of OO concepts, such as interfaces, the object, abstraction, encapsulation, inheiratance, polymorphism, ect. all allow for truly elegant, robust, and downright. . . gorgeus pieces of code. OOT isn't the future, it is the present. OOT allows developers to advance through the development proces with a level of robustness, efficiency, and elegance not possible with archaic procedural languages *cough C cough* . If your gonna go OO, go all the way. Dont half-ass it with C++, which is nothing more than a procedural language add-on.

Sorry about the digression into the world of Java. . .

Back to this book. . . When I read this book beforehand, the class lectures felt stale, becasue I already had such a strong grasp of the concepts by only reading the book. I truly do not understand what others have said in reviews about how the book is so poor. Yes, this isnt a great reference, but that's because it isn't a reference; its an introduction to programming via the OO paradigm. I guess I'll bend a bit to the idea that it throws a lot at you, but that is simply because this book is all about OOP, which is delightfully sophisiticated. C claim to fame is brute machine language force, in contrast, Java's strength is software architectural sophistication and elegance. You will learn the tools of OOT software architecture and thus you will learn to think in the object-oriented paradigm. Over the summer I was working at an internship doing all programming, unfortuatly in C#. I converted visual basic 6. 0 programs into the . NET platform via C#. My programs, those of a simple novice programmer, were far more robust and elegant than those of the veteran visual basic programmers who didn't have as good a hold of OOT's client-server architecture.

I believe this is a great book for FIRST TIME programmers because of its clarity and simplicity. Not only did I find it easy to self-learn with, it actually enjoyed it more that way!

Essentially, my time with Java has been a freakin blast! I've been able to use the software architectural skills imbued by Java's smooth OOT to create remarkably robust, elegant, and efficiant software. I viscously support Java and its OOT architecture. I owe it all to this book.

Note: the new edition of this book just came out. Its been updated for the new 1. 5 Java upgrade. The author may have corrected/improved what ever those 'other' people may have not liked. I haven't read the new version, but I bet it's even better than before!.