No comments about Beginning Microsoft Visual Basic 2008 (Wrox Beginning Guides).

5 comments about C++ Programming: Program Design Including Data Structures, Third Edition.

1. This book doesn't flow at all. It is hard to follow along. I am a beginner and this book almost has turned me off from programming all together. I recommended looking for another book.



2. This is my first review of any book after buying many books from Amazon over the years. Generally I find reviews helpful when considering purchases, but I always take them with a grain of salt and supplement it with my own research before making a buying decision. I'm writing this review because I had such a negative experience with this book.
   
   A little background on myself. I'm a self-taught programmer mostly working commercially in Visual Basic for the past 7 years. I've also done a lot of studying in C and C++, and recently decided to get a B.S. degree to further my career. My first course was programming fundamentals, and the textbook couldn't have been worse. I already knew much of the information covered in the first half of this tome, but I can honestly say it was poorly presented _to the beginning programming_ student. I'm not saying Malik doesn't know what he's talking about, I'm saying he tried to present C++ fundamentals to the absolute beginner and did a poor job of it. The first half of this book should have been cut, and the second half made its own book and be used in an intermediate course.
   
   He repeats himself ad nauseum. Some might argue this is an effective teaching tool, however he goes to great lengths to repeat himself on even the most easy to understand concepts. The end result is you feel like you're swimming upstream making no progress, and I don't say this because I already know the basics. He takes pages and pages to explain even the most simple concepts to the point where you get frustrated and start to speed read or skip portions just to slog through the chapter. There is a word for this style of writing, it is called prolix.
   
   The example programs were also poorly thought out. True, they make use of topics covered in the chapter (as any example ought to), but the "problems" (from a very high level view, all computer programs can be classified as solving one or more problems) they attempt to solve are the most mundane, boring examples imaginable. I can't see how any beginning CS student would want to keep programming after seeing the types of programs written in these examples. They could come away with the idea that all programs are like this. First of all, they are far removed from any real-world program. This is partly a consequence of GUI and platform dependent programming being an intermediate to advanced topic (at least in C++). Because of that, the examples should have been the bare minimum necessary to show how the chapter's topics are used. Instead, they go on and on at great length with a huge problem which incidently makes use of the chapter's topics instead of coming up with a program that actually does anything useful. And if a program is useful, it just might be interesting. If it's interesting, the student just might learn more! Keeping the student interested in the topic is by far a better approach to teaching than just repeating yourself and using boring examples. In all fairness, many programming books also take this (bad) approach, but Malik's book overdoes it.
   
   Unfortunately, my school required this textbook for the C++ classes so I did not have any choice but to buy this book. If, however, you have the freedom to choose your own C++ text, I encourage you to look elsewhere. Unfortunately I don't have any other texts that I've read and could recommend.



3. By about page 689 I had read the word "suppose" once too often. Mr. Malik's coherence fell apart when he got to the object-oriented stuff, and he started to use examples to *start* explanations. His meandering paragraphs begun with the word "suppose" are generally not helpful. Don't let chapter 12 (Inheritance and composition) discourage you, though. It's the worst of them and it gets better after that.
   
   If you like to highlight your textbooks you will be frustrated by this book. You will spend a lot of time pondering if you really want to highlight an entire 12-line paragraph when what is explained could be stated in a single sentence. So, here's a hint: Read each section between the purple headings through before highlighting anything. Sometimes you'll find your concise sentence further on. If you don't, make use of the white space to write one yourself. This will aid in memory, and save your highlighter.
   
   This should have been a shorter book, and the object-oriented stuff should have received some editing for clearer, more concise language.
   
   The example code is redundant and the explanations unnecessarily long. Each problem is exhaustively set up and explained, with code segments that are duplicated in the finalized code. You'll find yourself skipping the setup of the problem and going right to the finalized code to see if you understand it, and invariably you will, because it is not complex. The examples are uninteresting and demonstrate things that are simple.
   
   One really nice feature of this book? You don't have to get 300 pages into it before it will lie flat on your desk. It stays open nicely and has bright, white pages.
   
   A summary of the contents:
   
   One chapter on computers, programming languages, the process of writing a program, and a description of and background on C++.
   
   Almost six hundred pages on non-object-oriented C++ language stuff. It does not assume you already know programming. Tiringly verbose, but seems comprehensive and well-organized.
   
   About 350 pages on the object-oriented features of C++. It's not difficult material but it's not explained coherently. If this is the stuff you are most interested in you will be disappointed.
   
   About 300 pages on applying C++ to algorithms, such as searching and sorting, liked lists and binary trees. Classic first-year CS course material. Perhaps the best-presented part of the book.
   
   A chapter on the Standard Template Library.



4. As far as the quality of the book is concerned, pages keep falling out from the binding.
   
   I purchased this tome of boredom to complete some classwork in Data Structures and I have to say the book is completely awful. The worst part is the assignments. If they're not entirely boring or useless, they have the rare implementation that more information cannot be found on elsewhere, so you're essentially stuck with the author's poor explanations.
   
   A good example would be the simulation assignment in Chapter 18 with queues. I keep looking at it and the explanations are so insufficient or meandering that I don't know where to start, or what I should be doing -then I realized this is the first time in an assignment that I had to depend directly on the book. I tried understanding the RPN explanation for stacks in the same chapter, and I gave up in frustration and searched for a more sufficient explanation on the internet because it was so poorly written.
   
   Basically I've finished all of my assignments in spite of the book, not because of it.
   
   The code examples are quite simply erroneous and full of bugs. If it were not required material for my course, I would not purchase this book, and I recommend against it. Get something more interesting.



5. I don't care what anyone else says, I think this book is very helpful. I'm a computer science/mathematics major...though mathematics comes easily for me, I'm not finding the same with computer programming and this book has helped me tremendously to understand and apply these new concepts. Repetition? Some, but repetition is what helps us learn. But I don't think there is too much repetition, just enough...maybe more repetition should be used in some of the book's sections, especially higher level chapters, such as for structs and classes.
   Great writing too, easy to understand and to absorb. I'm sensing that this is an author who is more concerned with having his readers understand c++ than to be impressed with his writing...I've had enough college classes and read enough text books to know that some authors are more about showing off their writing ability, forget it if the student gets it or not. But not so with D.S. Malik.
   I highly recommend this book.

5 comments about Programming Microsoft Visual Basic 2005: The Language (Pro Developer).

1. Visual Basic appeared more than 15 years ago as a tool to define quick prototypes and develop GUI applications with ease. Its development environment, which the language was literally blended in, was remarkably easy to use. I remember those good old days when a fellow colleague of mine showed me how to draw VB forms and in less than an hour after I was already developing a new GUI application.
   
   Visual Basic has gone through a long way since then. The language is nowadays a powerful, complex, potent medium to develop sophisticated applications. In fact, Visual Basic.NET is virtually on par with C#.
   
   "Visual Basic 2005: The Language" by Francesco Balena tries to show - in a gentle yet dense manner - the long way that VB has pursued over the years and well as the current state of affairs. It succeeds on both counts.
   
   The book is divided in four bigs parts:
   1) The Basics - which introduces the reader to what Visual Basic.NET is all about, with explicit references to the differences between VB6 and VB.NET (very useful for VB6 programmers).
   2) Object Oriented Programming - which presents the OOP support in VB.NET. This section is important because VB.NET departs from the old OOP support and gets more in line with the .NET paradigm.
   3) Working with the .NET Framework - which may be seen as a natural continuation of the previous part in the context of the .NET framework.
   4) Advanced Topics - which tackles how advanced .NET elements (like attributes) get handled in VB.NET as well as what VB.NET is still better than, say, C# (namely the interop with COM and Automation).
   
   The book is truly monumental in form and dense in content. The style is slightly verbose but this adds value: you cannot skip pages without losing valuable information and in such conditions reading a book of this size is quite a task.
   
   As an added bonus, the author presents several mini-projects that are in fact mini how-to tutorials: how to build a plug-in for WinForms, how to develop a n-tier application. Without the generosity of Mr. Balena you'd have to buy an extra book for an introduction in such useful stuff.
   
   "Visual Basic 2005" has several minor drawbacks, though:
   1) The remarks showing the differences between VB6 and VB.NET are scattered throughout the text. For a VB6 programmer this is difficult to follow and for a non-VB6 programmer this is slightly annoying. Perhaps Mr. Balena should have dedicated a special chapter to those differences and then forget about them.
   2) The book does not say much about all the other .NET languages, as if VB.NET is the only .NET language under the sun. In fact, .NET diminishes the differences between languages without making them identical. This is not apparent from this book.
   3) The book does not say enough about what is specific to Visual Basic, besides syntax. Why would anyone want to program in Visual Basic.NET when you have C#? In my opinion, Visual Basic.NET is not going to go away any time soon especially because it retains those qualities of VB6 - a verbose and intuitive syntax, a loose typing system (perfect fit for Automation interop) as well as a slightly better exception catching mechanism. In my opinion, "Visual Basic 2005" does not elaborate enough on such necessary topics.
   
   Overall, the book is a must if you want to come up to speed with the Visual Basic language after years of programming in other languages. However, if you want to learn Visual Basic from scratch or if you want to use Visual Basic.NET for more "mundane" tasks - such as building WinForm applications - then this book is not for you.



2. The things I like about this book are that the topics it covers are very well done. It covers some of the trickier aspects like threading and regular expressions. Being an experienced programmer I like the fact that you can jump around in the book to just the aspects of the language that you are interested. I will warn the novice programmer that this is probably not a good starter book, but if you are ready for the material you will find that it has a good balance of code examples, and explanation.
   
   There are just a few spots in the code example where I can see a slightly better implementation, but if you are an experienced programmer this will not be difficult at all to see yourself.
   
   Last but not least, the appendix is one of the beefiest one's I have seen in ANY programming book. If there is anything I hate about tech books is a lousy appendix and this one is top notch.



3. I made an international request for this book and in the ship info they told me that the delivery of this item would be delayed... but it didn't. i got this book sooner than expected.
   
   it was a geat thing that i got this book before the estimated delivery date!!
   
   thanks
   amazon



4. I had a case dealing with Version Tolerant Serialization, after searching the web; they all came up short. I double checked the book later, and found the answer I needed. That 1 time more than paid for this book.



5. This is a great book.It has a lot of techniques that you would not normally use in your day to day programming tasks.It covers the language properly. Every chapter has actual code that works and that you could use in your projects.The author is definitely a master, and this book proves it.
   The book helped me to pass the MS Exam 70-536, .Net Framework 2.0, Application Development Foundation. Most of the exam topics are covered in it.
   The organization of the book is good, starts with the basics, slowly going to advanced topics.However I think this book is definitely not for beginners, they will get lost in some chapters.
   Overall, I give it 5 stars, it is a great book, well written, well organized, a great reference that every VB programmer should read and have it on their shelf.

5 comments about Introducing Microsoft ASP.NET AJAX (Pro - Developer).

1. Dino's a great author, and this book shows it. The book was small, but absolutely packed with great information ranging from how-to's to best practices.
   
   I started working with ASP.Net Ajax Extensions back when it was the second CTP under the "Atlas" moniker, and I still learned a ton from this book. If you're looking for *the* one book that will help you start writing solid, ajax-enabled web applications, look no further.



2. A very good description of how to write good ASP.NET Ajax code, following Microsofts intentions with the framework. Each of the three books I have read, the other two are Professional ASP.NET 2.0 AJAX (Programmer to Programmer) and ASP.NET AJAX in Action, are missing small parts but together the are really good, a 5 star collection.



3. This book is a very good introduction to MS Ajax. It teach the basic and some more advanced topic as well.
   It begins with the Ajax programming model, the Client Side of ajax and the Server side (UpdatePanel and friends).
   It gives also a quick view to the Ajax control toolkit.



4. If you've already had a good introduction to the ASP.NET Ajax Extensions, then this short book is all you'll ever need. The thing I appreciate about Dino's writing is his exploration underneath the hood. This can be said about all of his books. Knowing how things work under the hood seperate the rock stars of the industry from the rest!
   
   Nice work and thanks.



5. I am using this book a lot. Even though I am a newbie to AJAX I foud this book and the examples easy to follow and implement into my own apps. If you are new to AJAX add this book to your library.
   
   Charles

1 comments about Starting Out with Java: From Control Structures through Data Structures.

1. If you're new to programming and are considering which book to buy, it is essential to consider that many good books (such as Head First Java, Core Java, Just Java, and The Java Tutorial) are meant for experienced programmers who need insight into Java's more complicated concepts. These aren't textbooks for students. But Tony Gaddis's books are, and this book is no exception; in fact, it is the best Java textbook I have ever bought. This book is loaded with examples, exercises, case studies, and projects. It has everything from loops to linked lists, and it does not neglect GUIs by placing GUI topics to an optional section at the end of the chapter or in the last chapters of the book. This book will also serve you well as a reference book and as preparation for the SCJP certificate. I have also bought Gaddis's Starting Out with C++ From Control Structures through Objects, 5th Edition, and I am quite willing to recommend, sight unseen, any book that Gaddis writes.

5 comments about Essential CVS (Essentials).

1. This is an excellent introduction if you are new revision control or CVS. The configuration and command reference sections are helpful if you are an experienced CVS user. The author clearly knows her subject well and offers plenty of tips and war stories throughout the text.
   
   The book focusses primarily on Unix CVS servers, so if you plan to run on a Windows server, you will have to do a little more digging. Otherwise, this should be all you need install, configure, use, and even build CVS.
   
   Madhu Siddalingaiah



2. Jennifer Vesperman's ESSENTIAL CVS 2nd Edition is a complete reference and guide to managing large numbers of documents. Any company which faces repeated modifications and updates of documents knows the challenge of keeping track of changing versions: CVS makes this job a snap, and ESSENTIAL CVS simplifies the process with a quickstart guide, advanced coverage for technical management programming from release tagging to branching, and a quick reference card for ongoing use. Computer collections will find it a winning pick.



3. Every developer and person interested in using version control should have this book on their shelf. This nice, consolidated book provides a clear overview of the core functionality contained within CVS.
   
   From administration to daily usage, this guide will provide you with just what the title promises: the essentials.
   
   The core competencies of this book are rooted in base usage and base administration. I agree with other reviews stating that things such as branch merging are not covered in a manner to call this the "definitive guide", but they are straying from the point of the book! The book is rooted in the essentials, the common tasks, etc. etc. etc. I was not expecting it to cover issues such as that which would obviously take another 100 to 200 pages to explain thoroughly.
   
   You need to keep in mind that this is THE book to start or settle down with. It will provide you will all the answers and information you need to your everyday tasks as well as point you to references where more information can be obtained.
   
   This is yet another shining example of O'Reilly's dedication of excellent publications.



4. Are you a software developer tracking different versions of the same code? If you are, then this book is for you. Author Jennifer Vesperman, has done an outstanding job of writing a book that is current for both the stable and feature tracks of CVS.
   
   Vesperman, begins with an overview of CVS. Then, the author explains how to build and use a basic CVS repository with the default settings and a minimum of extras. Next, she explains the everyday CVS commands and concepts. The author also explains tagging and branching, including why and when to tag or branch your project, tagging before releases, and using branching to create a bug fix version of a project. She continues by explaining the systems used in CVS to permit multiple developers to work on the same project without loss of data. Then, the author discusses repository management and the modules in the repository. Next, she covers the tools used by project administrators. The author then discusses security considerations, methods of remote access, and how to set up each method. She continues by providing examples of things that can go wrong when using CVS and how to fix them. Then, the author provides a list of CVS commands. Finally, the author covers CVS administrative files.
   
   This most excellent book is complete and easy-to-follow reference that helps you apply order to the task of managing a large quantity of documents. Perhaps more importantly, this book has been expanded to explain common usage's of CVS for system administrators, project managers, writers, and anyone else who has to manage files that change often.



5. This is a good book if you are looking to establish version control with CVS. It covers the most common usage and the advanced usages are presented in an understandable format.

5 comments about VB and VBA in a Nutshell: The Languages.

1. I have only just started to learn about VB and VBA and as an absolute beginner, I found so far at any rate, this book very easy to absorb and understand. It also gioves a good depth of what VB and VBA is all about. My work has taken me away from home (and frm my computer) for many weeks but the book always goes with me and I am very pleased to have purchased it. I would suggest it is very good for anyone else wishing to consider buying it for the knowledge and style of how the author imparts that knowledge.



2. Well, although there are still many zealous VB 6.0 coders out there, we all know the former language has been superseded by VB.NET, which is basically completely unrelated whatsoever to VB 6.0.
   
   With that being said, I don't plan on becoming a VB coder anyhow, and don't do a lot of programming Web applications anyway. However, there is A LOT that can be accomplished in the Visual Basic language and I find learning VB as a really nice leisure time in between classes, learning hardcore material, or just wanting to enter new territory.
   
   For anyone else who reviews this, please recognize what this book is (and perhaps what it is not): this is a "NUTSHELL" title -- It is not meant to be a defintive tutorial. In fact, the author blatantly states in the preface that the people who will get the most out of this book are those who already have knowledge of VB and are looking for something to refresh their memories or use as a desktop reference.
   
   Now the latter phrase, desktop reference, is exactly what this book is. While the book can be divided into an 'explanation' section and a 'reference' section, the explanations are NOT complete, and are really just broad overviews of the particular subjects a section covers.
   
   I know: I mentioned that I wasn't a VB coder (although I'm not a novice either), and yes, I purchased this book knowing this. I don't recommend this approach for everyone, but this works for me. I've learned a lot from this reference, and I'm able to implement a lot of what I've read. The reference section is excellent. So yes, I've used this as a "bootleg textbook".
   
   Other than the fact that good books on VB 6.0 are a little hard to come by nowadays (everything's VB.NET), this is a good start for someone who doesn't want their hands held the whole way and are okay with starting off "in the middle of nowhere" and trekking through unknown territory. One of O'Reilly's best.



3. It's hard to believe that this book was originally published in 1998. I can't think of any VB programmer I've met that did not have one of these on their desk. This book is meant to be used like a dictionary for VB and VBA. The format is brilliant and the concepts in it are as valid today as they were in 1998.



4. this comes in very handy if you are developing with vb/vba on a daily basis. much quicker than using the mostly confusing and badly organized MSDN online references...



5. If you have an understanding of VB and need a good reference book, this is it. It will save a lot of the time & frustration experienced when searching with MSDN.

No comments about Tools For Structured and Object-Oriented Design (7th Edition).

5 comments about PgMP: Program Management Professional Exam Study Guide.

1. In considering any of the guides out on the market, you need to account for the fact that the PGMP test has not been around very long. That's why Rita Mulcahey, who guarantees results, hasn't got a PGMP course out yet, which should tell you something right there.
   
   This book actually suffers from an effort to walk the tightrope between being a useful operational program managers' guide and an exam prep book. The author has come down on the side of the exam, but unfortunately the actual exam is not like the PMP exam against which this book is structured.
   
   The text provides a map (at a very high level) to the PMI exam structure specification, but that is more than a bit of a stretch. I spent many hours searching for references to the specified material in the chapters that claim to address them, and in about 50% of the cases there is either nothing there or a sentence that you can twist in that direction if you are trying to do so. More importantly, the examples and sample questions in both the book and the accompanying CD, because they follow the PMP format of "what sub-process belongs to what process", are completely irrelevant to what you will find on the actual exam.
   
   The PGMP exam is not about the PMI standard - it is a whole lot of mini-scenarios, some of which are somewhat realistic and some are very contrived. You'll find questions that are a whole lot more like the exam in the Letavec-Rollins-Altwies book; but that book doesn't provide much of a study framework either, which is presumably what you were hoping for in an exam prep book.
   
   When an exam costs $1500 to take, a couple of hundred on the prep materials is a reasonable risk reduction strategy. I used several books, hoping to mitigate the $1500 risk I was taking, but in fact none of the materials on the market that I found (as of July 2008) have much to do with the exam (including the PMI standard and specification). The grim reality is that if you are even thinking about spending this kind of time and money to take this exam, you can probably pick out enough of the obvious school-solution answers to get to 50% and your experience will take you the rest of the way. If you do not have that experience, or if you do but you're just not a good test-taker, you're not going to enjoy this exam.



2. I'm a trainer in the fields of project management and program management and have found this book as the best not only for PgMP exam preparation but also for learning the basics of program management.
   First, for the PgMP Exam:
   The best strength of this book is that it follows and covers the official exam specifications by PMI very closely and thoroughly. Yes, if you have time you can go through different references such as, Program Management Standard (which you should go through any way), and relevant parts of other references such as PMBOK Guide 3rd Edition, OPM3 model doc, and some other references to learn the material covered by the PgMP exam as specified in the exam specifications. You can take the relevant pieces of information from these different resources and references and put them together, but it will take a lot of effort. This book integrates these pieces of information together in a seamless fashion. So, it's a great time saver.
   Bottom line: this book gives you the body of knowledge that the exam covers. That siad, no book can be a substitute for your experience. To pass the PgMP exam, you need the body of knowledge presented in this book PLUS your experience.
   Second, the program management:
   I agree with another reviewer that this is the first real book on program management (other than the program management standard, of course) that clearly distinguishes program management from project management and presents the relationship between them in a clear way. The basic concepts of program management are explained in a very clear way and the author offers comprehensive coverage in a cohesive fashion. I love the author's style of presentation. It makes learning easier and fun.



3. I like Paul's style very much, so it's a good book for me. The major problem with this guide is the practice questions. I have not taken the PgMP exam, but I expect it to be even more scenario based than the PMP exam. Paul's practice questions are way too old style, memory regurgitation types. The CD replicates the questions in the book, and the final exams replicate the chapter questions, in the memory regurgitation style.
   This is a bad sign I think, because to pass the PMP exam, wannabes need to do a lot of good quality practice questions that are scenario based. I am sure this will be true of the PgMP as well.
   The book does include the content needed to pass, and I like his style.
   Jim SLoane, PMP, OPM3CAC, CM



4. To me, this book is an order to a perfect chaos of PGMP material. What I mean that the material required for the PgMP exam is scattered in bits and pieces across several references such as Program Management Standard (full), PgMP Exam Specifications (full), PMBOK 3rd Edition (pieces), Maturity models (pieces), and so on. This book integrates all the pieces seamlessly at one place, and by connecting the different concepts to each other creates a beautiful big picture of program management that makes sense. The author adds tons of value to the standard pieces. I commend the author for that. I personally don't care if the questions are easy or difficult (nothing is going to substitute for our experience); but the book presents the material required for the PgMP exam in an excellent way. I have gone through many program management books; none of those even come close to this remarkable book...Books like this one don't come that often...Exam or no Exam this book is a keep; a must have...
   Recommended highly.



5. I've read this book from cover to cover and the PgMP exam? Tough! Been there, done that. My recommendation: this book is a must to prepare for the exam just like the Program Management Standard is. I'm puzzled at a couple of harshly negative reviews about this book: useless, waste of time, dry? These words do not describe this book....I have read other books from Dr. Paul Sanghera as well, and I love his style that puts life into even dead boring topics and make them interesting. Same is true about this book. All concepts are explained well and woven together, and there is a perfect logical flow...it's almost like reading a story... If the inputs and outputs for a process are re-organized to help you make sense, and explained why they are there, I think it's a feature and not a problem...
   
   I do agree however that the questions in the exam are much more difficult than the one in the book, but the book presents the material that you must know before taking the exam...In the exam, of course, your experience will count..no book can substitute for that...This material can be obtained from different references, scattered around...but the book does an excellent job to put all the pieces together and integrate them seamlessly... The author should be congratulated for that...Another great PLUS of this book is that it"s organized along the official exam specifications.
   Actually I would recommend this book even if you are not planning to take the exam; it's a great program management book, too.. All program managers should have it on their desk. Program Management Standard will make much more sense after reading this book.

5 comments about An Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming With Java.

1. This book is insanely bad for academic purposes. It uses a non-standard package (javabook), which, though useful, does not prepare you for actual Java programming. In addition, this book is one of the worst language references I've ever seen. The first-semester computer science course at my university switched to this book starting this semester, and it helps to make an already difficult course significantly harder than it needs to be. The only way this book can be effectively used is in a class taught by a superb instructor. Otherwise, forget it. The book is uninteresting, uninformative, and generally just not useful. To all computer science professors out there: please do not make your students use this book.



2. This was the assigned textbook for my first graduate-level programming class. I was told that the first edition had tons of errors and that the second edition was vastly improved. Yikes! We used the second edition and it was unbelievable how many errors there were -- in the explanations, in the formulas, in the chapter review questions and "quick checks." In addition, there is an ancillary web site for the text that purports to include error listings and corrections. BUT, the listing does not exist, even though the edition has a 2001 copyright date. We were lucky to have a good professor who helped us identify the errors. Otherwise, I would be one confused, frustrated, novice 'programmer'.



3. 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. I absolutly loved it!
   
   In my opinion, this is an excellent book for those who know NOTHING about programming. 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!



4. 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. However, there is less topic covered. It is highly expect that more area coverage in later edition.



5. A good visual book, teaching by the UML diagrams. Suitable for beginners to intermediate level and a bit more. 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.