|
 |
|
 |
 |
Thinking in Java (4th Edition)
|
by Bruce Eckel
Sales Rank: 18220
|
Discount: 37 %
List Price: $64.99
$40.94
At Amazon
|
|
Paperback: 1150 pages
Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR; 4 edition February 20, 2006
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0131872486
ISBN-13: 978-0131872486
Product Dimensions:
9.2 x 7 x 2.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 4.6 pounds
Product Review
Thinking in Java is a printed version of Bruce Eckel's online materials that provides a useful perspective on mastering Java for those with previous programming experience. The author's take on the essence of Java as a new programming language and the thorough introduction to Java's features make this a worthwhile tutorial.
Thinking in Java begins a little esoterically, with the author's reflections on why Java is new and better. (This book's choice of font for chapter headings is remarkably hard on the eyes.) The author outlines his thoughts on why Java will make you a better programmer, without all the complexity. The book is better when he presents actual language features. There's a tutorial to basic Java types, keywords, and operators. The guide includes extensive source code that is sometimes daunting (as with the author's sample code for all the Java operators in one listing.) As such, this text will be most useful for the experienced developer.
The text then moves on to class design issues, when to use inheritance and composition, and related topics of information hiding and polymorphism. (The treatment of inner classes and scoping will likely seem a bit overdone for most readers.) The chapter on Java collection classes for both Java Developer's Kit (JDK) 1.1 and the new classes, such as sets, lists, and maps, are much better. There's material in this chapter that you are unlikely to find anywhere else.
Chapters on exception handling and programming with type information are also worthwhile, as are the chapters on the new Swing interface classes and network programming. Although it adopts somewhat of a mixed-bag approach, Thinking in Java contains some excellent material for the object-oriented developer who wants to see what all the fuss is about with Java.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Book Description
The legendary author Bruce Eckel brings Java to life with this extraordinarily insightful, opinionated and downright funny introduction. Thinking in Java introduces all of the language's fundamentals, one step at a time, using to-the-point code examples. More than virtually any other book, Thinking in Java helps you understand not just what to do -- but why. Eckel introduces all the basics of objects as Java uses them; then walks carefully through the fundamental concepts underlying all Java programming -- including program flow, initialization and cleanup, hiding implementations, reusing classes and polymorphism. Using extensive, to-the-point examples, he introduces error handling, exceptions, Java I/O, run-time type identification, and passing and returning objects. He covers the Java AWT, multithreading, network programming with Java -- even design patterns. The best way to understand the real value of this book is to hear what readers of the online version have been saying about it: "much better than any other Java book I've seen, by an order of magnitude" "mature, consistent, intellectually honest, well-written and precise" "a thoughtful, penetrating analytical tutorial which doesn't kowtow to the manufacturers" "Thank you again for your awesome book. I was really floundering, but your book has brought me up to speed as quickly as I could read it!"For both beginner and experienced C and C++ programmers who want to learn Java.
* From the basics of object development, all the way to design patterns and other advanced topics.
* By the author of the best-selling Thinking in C++ -- winner of the 1995 Jolt Cola Award!
* On-line version has already received tens of thousands of hits -- there's a huge built-in demand for this book!
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Customer Reviews & Comments
This review is from: Thinking in Java (3rd Edition) (One-Off) (Paperback)
rating 4.5. First of all this book was freely available online. That was how it was written I believe: posted, public review, correction. A novel approach. This books is plain inside. His prose and explanations were ostly good, but a time just a little too verbose for me (no criticism but it just didn't do it for me: I prefer succint explanation + example: he can wax lyrical just a little bit, which lends some warmth to the work, but also for busy people uneeded....so it's a personal judgement). The code examples in the book are probably the ugliest I've ever seen in a while (font wise...the code is presented as pages and pages and pages of monospace...ah the humanity! Very intimidating for the novice! Compare to deitel: colored!) Seriously, given the process this book went through: continual public online review, editing and criticism, means the errors are minimal and the content focused on what you need to know as guaranteed by peer-reivew (not a bunch of superfluous, repitition nonsense that pad out Deitel books)...This is a really great book that was diminished a little through corner cutting by a publisher. If you can get beyond the mediocre presentation, then you find an excellent book for the above novice programmer. It's quite a philosophical journey through the heart of Java at times. And coverage of most topics is quite strong (if a little weirdly ordered at times...but then that's a personal thing: eg. the introduction that the beginning is quite deep and intrduces some heavy-ish concecpts straight off the bat...but again this is a personal judgement: objects first or basics first? its 50-50 either way?) Actually I should clarify that: if you're a beginner: This book is not for you I don't think. I tutor a student who is just starting out in Java programming and he managed to get about 20 pages into this brick and then quit -> he said it was too hard. He opened it, looked at the code and his jaw dropped! Having read this book I can understand why. The presentation is not conducive to the beginner who needs more guidance through concepts rather than just slabs of text. That's the problem with writing a book this way (publically post-review-correct): the only people who interact are people who already know some Java or a lot of Java so this skews the process toward producing a book for them. Most beginners probably have never heard of Bruce Eckel and thereby didn't contribute to the making of this book. Hence they have been somehwat excluded from the process. I can wade through pages of monspace Java code because I am not a beginner. But this is probably too overwhelming for one new to the language (it just hits them too hard I think). I recommend Kathy Sierra's Headfirst Java (foremost for the beginner!). FOr everybody else...what they hey why not! It's pretty good value and not a insipid and dumb as Deitel. And it's more concrete that Van Der Linden. It and Ivor Horton's Beginning Java are on about par I feel, for different reasons: Bruce, the language coverage (depth far exceeds Ivor!). Ivor: for breadth and succinctness. I feel Bruce is wanting you to understand backward-forwards-upwards-downwards-inside-out the language. Not dazzle you with simple Swing stuff (which only works for novices anyway). When you're finished Kathy Sierra, come back and try this. YOu'll be ready by then! Hopefully version 4 they'll put a bit more effort into the graphical arrangement of the book: a few diagrams here and there wouldn't hurt...just to break the monotony. Seriously I think Bruce should get a new publisher...one who will fulfill his vision, not impede it with their cheapness. COntent wise: VERY good. Doesn't wallow in the cheap ooh-ahh factor of Swing that much, but does the langauge very well (I wasn't overly fussed on treatment of inner classes...but that's a personal thing I guess). Still this is one of the benchmark books for begining/intermediate programmers and that didn't happen by accident! And as one of the benchmark books Thinking in Java: Bruce Eckel Beginning Java: Ivor Horton Just Java 2: Peter Van Der Linden How to Program Java: Deitel & Deitel Core Java 2: Horstmann I would rate them as such (in order): For beginners: Horton, Eckel, Deitel, Horstmann, Van Der Linden For Intermediate: Eckel, Van Der Linden, Horton, Horstmann, Deitel Best all round: Eckel, Horton, van Der Linden, horstmann, Deitel best visual layout/ quality of publication: deitel, Van Der Linden, Horton, Horstmann, Eckel broadest view: van der linden, eckel, Horton, Deitel, Horstmann most useful code: horstmann, deitel = eckel = horton, van der linden value for money: eckel, horton, van der linden, horstmann, deitel
Comments (2) | Permalink |
(Report this)
|
Thinking in Java (4th Edition)
List Price: $64.99
Discount: 37 %
Available from Amazon
Price: $40.94
| |
|
|
|
|
