3 comments about C for Java Programmers (Java (Addison-Wesley)).

1. Most concepts are covered well, and in a logical order. Occasionally, you are told to accept things and understand them later (like the use of pointers in text filehandles.)

   Concepts not commonly used (like enumerations and unions) are covered to allow the reader to understand code they may have to read, but key concepts certainly get more page space. Special libraries are not used for things like string I/O - meaning one learns 'pure' ANSI C. In this regard, a far better text when compared to Roberts' "The Art and Science of C".

   Idioms are used - the ideas are covered, and 'idioms' (frequently used code patterns) relating to the topic are provided. A complete list of these idioms, as well a common errors and portability guidelines are included in the Appendicies.

   Overall, a good book which which to teach oneself C. An okay reference as well, but that's not what it's designed for.

   (This review is based on a pre-publication copy used by Dr. Müldner in teaching his first-year C course at Acadia University.)




2. Having learned Java in CS1 Algorithms and Programming course, I immediately started to look for C++ books at the end of the year. In fact, I was unable to make decision whether to go for C or C++ and actually confused among dozens of C and C++ books that have different approaches to the topic and have different assumptions about programming experience of the reader. Eventually, this book was the definite choice for me.

   The book starts with an example that demonstrates a simple I/O operation just to show the structure and syntax of the language.

   Other than that, the topics are generally well organized. From base to the top. Throughout the book, the author explicitly warns the reader about general mistakes, encourages to use portable code and gives several programming idioms and lists all of them at the end of the book.

   Pointers are especially described in a long chapter and their common applications are demonstrated. For my part, introduction to this chapter was very valuable as it basically explains the stack and heap-based memory, the concepts that Java programmers are not familiar with.

   There are some minor gaps that take the one star. I think there are some listings that need more explanation and some code fragments could have been inserted in a complete program to give sample output in order to make thing more clear, (for example while explaining the conversion from binary to text and text to binary files)

   However, it doesn't change the fact that you can learn C quickly with this book. It's definitely not a reference book, but self-sufficient as stated in the introduction. "C for Java programmers" title is really specific and this book really does what it promises. It's the shortest way to learn C if you know Java.

   I took that book and had worked on C intensively for 3 weeks disregarding the last chapter about module-based programming, and having taken the basics, moving onto C++ was not difficult.




3. current C books are written for beginners, and I thought this book can help me skip all the info I don't need (such as loops, if/else, etc) and learn C quicker thanks to my good Java knowledge. However it fails to do that. It contains way too many details for a java programmer, and unnecessary info for a beginner.
   
   If I would compare this book to a standard "c tutorial for java programmers" (and believe me there are many), the only positive thing would be the big number of exercises the book contains. However there are no answers to the exercises, and the author does not even reply to your email, if you ask for them nicely.
   
   Don't waste your money and get a nice C book that you can use as a reference, or use a free "C tutorial for java programmers"

5 comments about Beginning Java Databases: JDBC, SQL, J2EE, EJB, JSP, XML.

1. I'm using this book as my text book for my independent study of database programming with Java. This book is the tops! The primary focus is programming with the Cloudscape database, but it does give you code snippets to use if you're using Oracle or one of the Microsoft databases (like SQL Server). What impresses me about the book is it's one of the few instructional books that teaches a programmer how to wade in the water before it teaches the programmer how to dive in 20-ft deep water and swim.

   Although the book is HUGE, it really explains in detail why the programmer is writing the particular code.

   I also liked the idea that it dedicates a few chapters on SQL and database concepts. Although this may appear to be a rehash for experienced database programmers, it's still good to review, since it covers the topics from a Java perspective.

   I teach at a college part-time. If the college decides to offer a third-level Java programming course to its students, then I would highly recommend this book for the class.

   Excellent job again, WROX Press!




2. I thought that this book was quite good at explaining Java programming of databases. Many of the examples in the book, though, use the Oracle personal edition database. This is a 600MB file that you download from Oracle. Or, you can pay them [money] to send it to you on CD-ROM. Alternatively, you can use another database - like SQL Server - and modify the examples to work with that database.



3. Having read over two-thirds of this huge volume, I am now of the opinion that it probably is not the best place to begin exploring Java database development. The word "Beginning" in the title is a bit misleading: you shouldn't approach this book without a solid grounding in Java and databases in general. True, the introductory chapters cover essential SQL and other database concepts, but there is a steady ramping-up in the difficulty level as the book progresses, and it doesn't ever really level off. For example, Lauinger's treatment of his own Java Layered Frameworks open-source project in Chapter 16 is long-winded and daunting. And the later chapters assume complete familiarity with XML, JavaBeans, Servlets, and other more "advanced" topics. So, all in all, for the JDBC beginner I think that this is not the best book to begin your explorations of JDBC.

   On the other hand, this is an exceptionally thorough book, very well written and with few typos. The authors are likeable, the price is affordable, the presentation and the coding are laid out well, the printing and binding excellent. So it may be just the book for you if you have the patience to plod through its 900 pages. Certainly, the book makes an excellent reference. However, it only covers the business logic of Java database applications. Most of the examples in the book are console-based programs for testing the business logic. There is no coverage of GUI-related topics, for example how to present data in a grid. As one of the authors remarks somewhere, their purpose in writing the book was not to present "pretty GUI's" but rather to concentrate on the internals, the business logic. While I can understand the importance of business logic, I also would have liked these experts to have given me some good pointers on how to present data in various data-aware controls in a GUI. After 600+ pages, I'm still waiting....




4. This book is not very good. The numerous authors attempt to cover too much in this book and as a result don't cover anything worthwhile. The book isn't well focused and has lots of mistakes.



5. This book is somewhat dated. It still is a GREAT book for someone who knows how to compile java programs with packages and who wants to get a solid introduction to database programming, including some good chapters on how to create a good logical model, before you create the physical model. If this were 2002, I would give it 5 stars for what it is. I am a database administrator by profession. If it covered Hibernate, I'd still give it 5 stars, although they present the idea of using a JDBC framework predecessor to Hibernate in the book. Good CD includes a Java database to play with, including ODBC drivers. For advanced ideas, they switch to how to program to Oracle JDBC drivers.

2 comments about Java Phrasebook (Developer's Library).

1. This is a very odd approach for a Java reference book. The idea is that, if you are in a foreign country and cannot speak the language, "phrasebooks" for that language, showing you how to say common phrases without having to study the language in detail, are very helpful. That is true. However, those people who find such phrasebooks useful tend to board a plane and go home in a few weeks, with no real further use for the language. The problem is, how many times is that true in programming? Either you need to know the entire programming language, or you don't. This book is an attempt to use the same phrasebook approach for Java. In the beginning, it does a pretty good job of stating basic things you need to know such as setting up your environment, compiling from the command line, etc. that are usually not clearly stated in books that teach you the full-blown language. However, don't expect it to teach you the language. It might make a good reference for showing novices certain basics and maybe even experienced programmers might find it useful for a few useful "recipes" and tricks, but I found The Java Cookbook much more helpful and comprehensive in its coverage. The book's biggest weakness is it skips over the specific issue of object-orientation in Java. The following is the table of contents:
   
   Chapter 1. The Basics
   Compiling a Java Program; Running a Java Program;
   Setting the Classpath;
   
   Chapter 2. Interacting with the Environment
   Getting Environment Variables; Setting and Getting System Properties; Parsing Command-Line Arguments;
   
   Chapter 3. Manipulating Strings
   Comparing Strings; Searching For and Retrieving Substrings;Processing a String One Character at a Time; Reversing a String by Character;Reversing a String by Word; Making a String All Uppercase or All Lowercase; Trimming Spaces from the Beginning or End of a String; Parsing a Comma-Separated String;
   
   Chapter 4. Working with Data Structures
   Resizing an Array ;Iterating Over a Collection; Creating a Mapped Collection; Sorting a Collection; Finding an Object in a Collection; Converting a Collection to an Array;
   
   Chapter 5. Dates and Times
   Finding Today's Date; Converting Between Date and Calendar Objects; Printing Date/Time in a Given Format; Parsing Strings into Dates; Adding to or Subtracting from a Date or Calendar; Calculating the Difference Between Two Dates; Comparing Dates; Finding the Day of Week/Month/Year or Week Number; Calculating Elapsed Time;
   
   Chapter 6. Pattern Matching with Regular Expressions
   Regular Expressions in Java; Finding Matching Text Using a Regular Expression; Replacing Matched Text; Finding All Occurrences of a Pattern; Printing Lines Containing a Pattern; Matching Newlines in Text;
   
   Chapter 7. Numbers
   Checking Whether a String Is a Valid Number; Comparing Floating Point Numbers; Rounding Floating Point Numbers; Formatting Numbers; Formatting Currencies; Converting an Integer to Binary, Octal, and Hexadecimal;
   Generating Random Numbers; Calculating Trigonometric Functions; Calculating a Logarithm;
   
   Chapter 8. Input and Output
   Reading Text from Standard Input; Writing to Standard Output; Formatting Output; Opening a File by Name; Reading a File into a Byte Array; Reading Binary Data; Seeking in a File; Reading a JAR or Zip Archive; Creating a Zip Archive;
   
   Chapter 9. Working with Directories and Files
   Creating a File; Renaming a File or Directory; Deleting a File or Directory; Changing File Attributes; Getting the Size of a File; Determining if a File or Directory Exists; Moving a File or Directory; Getting an Absolute Filename Path from a Relative Filename Path; Determining if a Filename Path is a File or Directory; Listing a Directory; Creating a New Directory;
   
   Chapter 10. Network Clients
   Contacting a Server; Finding IP Addresses and Domain Names; Handling Network Errors; Reading Text; Writing Text; Reading Binary Data; Writing Binary Data; Reading Serialized Data; Writing Serialized Data; Reading a Web Page via HTTP;
   
   Chapter 11. Network Servers
   Creating a Server and Accepting a Request; Returning a Response; Returning an Object; Handling Multiple Clients; Serving HTTP Content;
   
   Chapter 12. Sending and Receiving Email
   Overview of JavaMail API; Sending Email Sending MIME Email; Reading Email
   
   Chapter 13. Database Access
   Connecting to a Database via JDBC; Sending a Query via JDBC; Using a Prepared Statement; Retrieving Results of a Query; Using a Stored Procedure;
   
   Chapter 14. Using XML
   Parsing XML with SAX; Parsing XML with DOM; Using a DTD to Verify an XML Document; Creating an XML Document with DOM; Transforming XML with XSLT;
   
   Chapter 15. Using Threads;
   Starting a Thread; Stopping a Thread;Waiting For a Thread to Complete; Synchronizing Threads; Pausing a Thread; Listing All Threads;
   
   Chapter 16. Dynamic Programming Through Reflection
   Getting a Class Object; Getting a Class Name; Discovering Class Modifiers; Finding Superclasses; Determining the Interfaces Implemented by a Class; Discovering Class Fields;Discovering Class Constructors; Discovering Method Information; Getting Field Values; Setting Field Values; Invoking Methods; Loading and Instantiating a Class Dynamically;
   
   Chapter 17. Packaging and Documenting Classes
   Creating a Package; Documenting Classes with JavaDoc; Archiving Classes with Jar; Running a Program from a JAR File;



2. Java Phrasebook is a beautiful, well written book containing 100's of phrases which will help the reader to accomplish common tasks in Java. This book is for intermediate Java developers as well as developers who are new to Java.
   The author assumes you have previous knowledge of Java and you are ready to program in Java; don't worry he has included references to various web sites (mostly Sun) throughout the book for additional information you might need.
   
   The book covers JDK 5.0 and is not a Java language tutorial or introduction or even a reference to the Java language.
   
   Personally, I found this book very easy to read, and carry; it fits in my purse. I do agree with what the author suggests; if your goal is to get a deeper understanding of a specific technology, this is not the book you are looking for.
   On the other hand, this book should be very helpful for those who need to brush up some phrases before an Interview or even to those who teach Java courses.
   I had seen foreign language phrase books earlier, this was the first technical phrasebook I read, and if you are indeed looking for one, I highly recommend this for Java.

5 comments about Beginning Java 2.

1. This book is very thorough in it's coverage. It doesn't delve into the "why" as much as the Head First Java book does, but it certainly tackles the how-to very well (at great lengths sometimes). It's also a different style than the Head First series of books. It has more of a traditional feel about it. Beginners that want to approach Java from every angle might do well to opt for both Head First Java and this book.



2. I had the previous version of this book and lost it so I bought the new version because I really liked the one I had. Unfortunately my experience has been a little different with this version. It contains a lot of great information however I think it may have too much in it for most beginners and novices. It is also a very thick book and takes up a lot of space when carrying around.
   The information is great in the book but it isn't something you'll be able to hold in with the first read.



3. This book is a great reference to Java language and how to program it. It also has an overly complicated/not well explained example in using ModelViewController pattern to program a shape drawing program. I also agree with other reviewers who complain he uses mathematical examples too much. Hint - if you hated geometry, buy a different book. But, if you have a sold HIgh School math / graphics background, I strongly recommend this book to learn a lot about java. It still is not comprehensive, but it's a great serious first book to learn java from.



4. I bought this book few years back to update myself on Java Knowledge. This book is very good, simple and details all the basics that is expected by any new java programmer. Those who know java can also use this to refresh their knowledge. This is a good buy.



5. This is a great book if your great with Maths, and like bland talk. I still think its an alright book, however I prefer working examples that I could take note off to use when I start my own proper projects. The ending chapter examples are not worded too well. At times I had to view Ivors solution to just understand what I had to do (and the solutions mind you, use things which you havent seen and dont get explained till much later on).
   
   The worst chapters for me so far are the File Read/Write chapters. They are really bland and there were a good 20pages with no coding just dribble talk about Bytes, Streams and how they work, these could have been done in 4-5pages, if this was so not only would it have uncomplicated things, it would have just made sense (for me I felt I went from one page and 2pages later ended back at the same spot). Now Im not the person who can exactly concentrate reading (reading isnt my thing) without doing some sort of exercise. And he seems to go over the same things (I will probably have to go back over a tutorial for File Read/Write).
   
   Now just because "Beginning" is slapped on the title, this is no way a beginners book, unless of course you consider the first 4-5 chapters the beginners part, which mind you they dont go full into OO and he says that you may need another he actually does quite a good job, and even though the examples cant do much with they are actually quite well thought out, the rest on the other hand require you not only to try and understand how he has worded things (maybe my brain is dead by this time after some bland talk), majority of the examples arent interesting either.
   
   Now if your thinking Im a beginner think again, I have been doing programming with PHP, Perl, C/C++ for over 4-5yrs so Im no new comer.
   
   If this is your first language, this isnt the book for you. If your not so great with Maths or havent done it in a while (like myself) this again isnt the book for you. If you have the concentration span of about 10mins before you feel like your going to go insane because your not coding this is defianetly not the book for you. If you can withstand it all you will enjoy this book and I have had some chapters which were pretty good. However I will be looking for another book as well as Tutorials to grasp the things which just got way over complicated (i.e. File Read/Write).

2 comments about Pro Java Programming, Second Edition (Pro).

1. This book covers a grab bag of reasonably advanced Java topics. These include collections, XML, some database access, and Swing. Roughly half of the book is Swing. The first chapter, which covers library design, is solid.
   
   The exposition is solid, if a little dry. The illustrations are good. The book does rely a little heavily on code to do most of the expository work.
   
   I recommend having a look at this book in person before buying it. See if there is enough there on the topics that interest you to make it worth the purchase.



2. I really liked this book. The explanations are very clear and thorough. I agree with the previous review, that the book is a little SWING and code heavy. The SWING stuff is however just used as examples to explain a concept. The author is not trying to teach you SWING through this book. I guess that also the reason for longer code samples. Swing adds a few extra lines of code to each sample, but without that .. it might be difficult to follow through.
   
   Overall .. this is a good intermediate/advanced level book.

1 comments about Data Structures with Java.

1. 6 stars if possible. A top of the line book on Data Structures.
   
   Practical and well explained (very thorough) with excellent examples this book sits at my desk for a refresher on Algorithm Analysis (Big O-h Notation) and a exhaustive set of practical samples of code using Java Generics and the new Collections using Generics.
   
   If I had to buy one Data Strutures and Algorithms book (regardless of language - C++ or Java) then this book would be it. By the way, from the same authors, there is a C++ version of this book, but the type font of the book for the Java version is much bigger and easier on the eyes.
   
   Your frustrating end to finding a post Java 1.5 Data Structures Book which shows you how how to develop the data structures raw using your own classes in addition to how it compares to the Collections in java.util are really good.
   
   Points to remember regarding this book when seeking to compare against other books of this same subject are:
   
   No obtuse mathematical formulas to tangle with in this book, since this book is very practical and results oriented. A non-professional programmer can make whole use of this book and come away with a suitcase full of development skills and practical concepts of Data Structures. No tedious mathematics and formulas to deal with here. Simply easy to read, digest, and apply.
   
   Source code is provided (in its completeness) from the authors website.
   
   My recommedation is to know Ant and/or Maven to easily compile the source code under a structured build directory setup.

5 comments about Java Database Best Practices.

1. I have just seriously reading the chapters about EJB, JDBC, Servlet and JSP, I found that there are some tricks I have used but I have not stated the reason, this book provides some short and brief reasoning for each tips to clarify why I need to do and not to do. It is very handy to me, even I explained that to my associate consultants, I don't need a long conversation. I believe the author does not mean we need to follow the best practice but hope that developers/architect can outline a set of standard/practice for the development. It is the main reason for us to read. If you have your own standard, programmer A has his/her own style, then it is hard to trace and maintain the system.



2. I really like reading this book. This book discusses a lot of database concepts. The author talks about how to use the javax.sql libraries. I found the book easy to read. I found the snippets of code useful. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn advanced concepts on databases with JAVA.

   Michael




3. This book barely scratches the surface of the persistence domain.
   There is a review and brief comparison of different approaches but by no means an in-depth account for each.

   Still searching for that perfect book...




4. This book has the potential to become a "must have" book in a future edition. But the current edition has the feel of a book that was rushed to press without really being ready. Some of the best practices are not well explained or even explained at all. Occasionally, they are not worded carefully enough or even seem to contradict each other. The syntax errors (which are more common in the tutorial chapters) highlight this rushed feel.

   Overall, though, I think the book has useful content, and I learned some neat stuff from it. I'm hoping that another, more carefully written and reviewed edition gets published.




5. I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand I really liked the discussion of persistence models using J2EE. It was a great tutorial on the various options a J2EE developer has when dealing with databases. On the other hand, I'm disappointed that there wasn't more lower level type discussions. I ended the book feeling as if the "best practice" in Java database development is to avoid direct database development altogether and let an application server deal with it for me.
   
   I develop standalone client/server type database applications more than anything else. I very rarely touch an application server. And unfortunately, only 2 or 3 chapters in this book were useful to me. Everything else was application server specific.
   
   If you're doing straight JDBC development, skip this book and go for a pure JDBC book, as you'll not really get anything new or useful here. If you develop web applications, this book is definitely right up your alley.

5 comments about Weaving a Website: Programming in HTML, Java Script, Perl and Java.

1. THis book is very very good
   im in college and the webdesign teacher suggested a different book and i took a gamble and got this book instead and i love it



2. I'm a former student of Dr. Anderson-Freed and I am currently a professional web developer. I have seen this book in two classes on web programming, the first time in a draft form and the second time in its current form. Having seen the errors and typos in the draft, and having pointed them out during class, I had hoped that the final print of the book would contain at least some of the corrections. Unfortunately, as another reviewer has pointed out, the book still contains numerous errors, typos, and just plain incorrect programming.

   I still own a copy of her book because I have penned in corrections to many of the errors in the book. It covers a little bit of everything, and the little bit of reference I need for Perl and Java are met by this book and web references. However, I also currently own and recommend the HTML 4 Bible and JavaScript Bible, both published by IDG Books. I would recommend the Bible series of computer books over Dr. Anderson-Freed's book to anyone who requires a web-related programming reference. The same goes for IWU students who are taking her classes: don't buy this book. While her book contains many examples (many of which she uses in class), a good portion of her examples have code that does not produce the desired results. You would be better off reading another text and recreating the examples on your own.




3. An absolutely amazing resource!! I took an html class, and this was the book that got me through it. The examples are interesting and clever. She's also very friendly if you ever try to e-mail her with questions.



4. This book isn't horrible. The guy above obviously is an ex-lover of the author and is none to happy. The book has excellent examples and walks through the basics of HTML, JavaScript, JAVA, and perl. After you have learned the languages it is awesome for using as a reference and refresher.



5. I used this text book in a class on HTML and Java Script. It was too riddled with errors to recommend as a good text book on programming. Previous classes have documented over a hundred errors in the text, and code samples; some minor, and some major. There are much better guides to programming than this book.
   You may save money buying just this one book , but I did not find it money well spent.

5 comments about Java Management Extensions.

1. Java Management Extensions by Java expert J. Steven Perry is a superbly organized and written reference and instructional resource to managing Java applications with JMX. Individual chapters address standard, dynamic, model, and open MBeans, dynamic loading, the monitoring class and timer service, and much more. A practical study of JMX architecture as well as a thoroughly "user friendly" how-to guide for technical managers, Java Management Extensions is an exceptionally useful and straightforward manual.



2. This book covers the fundamentals of JMX but where I was disappointed was that it uses a pretty basic queue example and doesn't really get into J2EE applications and praticle uses. I was left wondering when to use it. If I had it to do over I'd choose another book with more praticle applications for JMX.



3. JMX is a Java framework for managing enterprise applications in a distributed environment. The book Java Management Extensions takes the reader from a high-level mountaintop description of what JMX is in the first chapter, aimed at architects and management, who might be investigating the new technology, to a trench-digging description of how to expose a class for management through instrumenting an MBean.

   Perry's initial description of the JMX architecture in the first chapter does a good job describing the parts of the JMX and how they interoperate. It is a very high-level view of JMX and many abstract ideas are presented. On a personal level, my experience with the JBoss application server gave me a concrete example to refer to during this JMX introduction, which helped. Here, the reader is presented with many UML diagrams to illustrate the architecture.

   The next four chapters cover the nuts and bolts of how to construct JMX services. To use the JMX framework, a developer must become familiar with an object called an MBean. In a nutshell, MBeans are Java classes that implement an MBean interface (A process known as instrumenting), allowing the MBeans to be loaded into an MBean server and managed. In these chapters, Perry talks about four types of Mbeans, Standard, Dynamic, Model, and Open MBeans. After introducing each type of MBean, Perry gives simple code examples of how to build each type of MBean.
   
   Chapter 6 deals primarily with introducing the reader to the MBean server. Perry uses the reference implementation from Sun for the examples in his book. Real world MBean servers include names such as JBoss and WebLogic. The most exciting part of the book, I felt were chapters 7 and 9, where Perry talks about the JMX notification model and Monitoring classes. Firing events, filtering notifications, and creating monitors appear to be the real advantages to the JMX framework and are covered thoroughly in these chapters.

   Perry's no-nonsense writing style provides a succinct description of the architecture. At 312 pages, the book is the thinnest technical book on my bookshelf, making the read easier to manage.

   In summary, Java Management Extensions is a good book for developers who want to gain an understanding of what JMX is. Programmers new to JMX will probably find the first part of the book a good introduction to JMX and its architecture, while the last chapters focus more on how to put the framework to good use. Although Perry does not have a style of writing that entertained me, it was clear and to the point. He does cover his information thoroughly and appears to know the content well. JMX is a technology that I feel will be used heavily in the future, and for anyone who is intending to write a J2EE application that needs management or monitoring, JMX appears to be the answer.




4. It has been 4 years since this book came out. Despite the many high hopes in the computer industry in 2002, JMX has run out of conceptual steam. You can't tell that from the text. But since then, Service Oriented Architecture and Web Services have garnered far more mindshare.
   
   The text also does not indicate that JMX simply proved too hard in practice, as a useful management tool or console. If you read the book and try its recommendations, you are walking into a dead end. There will be very little interest by others in what you program.



5. If you're looking for an introduction to JMX, this book gives good coverage of the concepts and techniques behind instrumenting your applications. However, if you're looking for information on the latest and greatest in JMX, especially anything related to JMX remoting, then you should look somewhere else. This book was written in 2002, before J2SE 5.0, and a lot has happened to JMX since then. Starting with J2SE 5.0, JMX is a core part of the Java standard library and the JDK ships with a highly usable remote management application called jconsole.

5 comments about Java in a Nutshell, Fourth Edition.

1. I keep this book by my side and reference it at least twice a week. An integral part of my Java programmer's desktop library.



2. This isn't a textbook. It's a handbook, and gives good, clear descriptions of every corner of the Java language. Java isn't a big feature-sodden language, but has a few obscure corners. If you just can't remember the syntax for up-reference from an inner class, you'll find it fast and explained well.
   
   The API guide is fairly complete, but terse. Well, it has to be - the API keep growing. No one book could hold a complete description of everything. Sad to say, earlier editions had more complete API descriptions. The second, for example, had a very good introduction to reflection. As the Java API grew, however, the old descriptions had to shrink to make way for the new, and the reflection discussion was squeezed out. Still, it gives a good quick look at the API. This isn't as complete as the Javadoc API information, but is hugely more browseable. Use this to direct your query into the right area, then use Sun's Javadoc to get the details.
   
   If you have room for only one Java book, make it this one.
   
   -- wiredweird
   
   2007 PS to the 2004 review: Flanagan's new edition on Java 5 supercedes this version of the classic. The new version has all the strengths of earlier editions. It covers language basics and Java 5 extensions even better, except for some rough spots in generics. It covers the fast-growing standard library even worse. If coding Java pays your paycheck, then upgrade. If you work on legacy or casual code, the 3rd or 4th edition, plus easy access to javadoc, might still serve you well enough.



3. This book is way too terse to be useful. Modern Java development tools will help you use the correct class method signatures anyway. Buy the posters instead and give yourself a visual overview instead.



4. Java: In a Nutshell (4th ed.) is a decent reference manual for quick lookups. Be forewarned: it's very terse. This helps and hurts it; the Java language is pretty hefty itself, so concise reference is valuable, however sometimes I've found it to be a little bit on the lacking side when I really needed fast and easily understandable reference.
   
   Not a must-have, but definitely not a waste.



5. For those that find that Javadoc hard to read (like me) or aren't "always on" the internet, this is a great alternative. The first few chapters are particularly - short, sweet and to the point - a cross between Javadoc and a cookbook and is quite readable.