Java Programming: Comprehensive

by Joyce Farrell

Using Java as the language, readers are exposed to object-oriented programming concepts along with the Java syntax to implement them. No programming experience is assumed. Object-oriented techniques... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0760010706
• ISBN13: 9780760010709
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Course Technology
• Length: 687 Pages
• Weight: 2.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 7.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Best Java Book for a Beginner

This is the best beginning programming oop book, not just for java. I found it clear and concise. The book is approx 670 pages unlike some other books of up to 1000 or more pages. I like how the author explains everything thoroughly before going on to a new topic. There are complete questions and exercises at the end of each chapter and test what was covered in the chapter that I found very useful also. There are some minor errors that I found such as the access modifier friendly, and connecting (private and protected) which was available in java 1.1 and older versions but those are the only errors, other than that this is the best intro to java book, infact my favorite book. The codes are brief and self explanatory compare to books that I also have like (Thinking in Java, Java How to program by Deitel, Teach yourself Java, and a few other books I still use this book as a reference and the second edition of this book is now available as of 7/24/02 which I'm ordering right now be sure to use this book if your new to programming oop in general not just java. I started C++ right after completing this book and the fundamentals I developed from this book helped me learn C++ quicker. Don't fall for those reviewers that gave this book 1 star. Besides her new book is covering the swing packages verses the old awt. Buy it and have fun learning java.

Excellent book for absolute beginners

I had the privledge to teach a course with this book a couple of years ago. This is the perfect book for people who have never programmed at all or who are apprehensive about learning to program. It explains everything in the simplest terms possible and has lots of great exercises and examples. If you were considering buying Java For Dummies, buy this book instead. This book will be just as simple, but much better written, contains exercises to help you practice, and the title won't insult your inteligence. :-) Of course no book can be everything to everybody. This book is perfect for brand new beginners. If you have already programmed in other languages and you want a faster introduction to Java, then you might consider Thinking In Java by Bruce Eckel or Java: How To Program by Deitel & Deitel. Good luck and welcome to the exciting world of Java!

A very good BEGINNER'S intro but others might find it light

Of all the intro to Java books I have read, this one is one of the best. I disagree with the other reviewers about the 1 and 2 stars so I wanted to be sure to give my 5 stars here. I don't want the author to be discouraged because the way she explains things is way better than a lot of other authors who seem to just can't wait to talk about polymorphism and servlets. If you feel you don't understand key Java concepts after reading another book (hopefully it was not Thinking in Java, because that is NOT a beginner's book; better off getting a Dietel book) then I highly recommend this from Joyce Farrell. After reading this, you have a better foundation to go read another intro Java book, with a better footing.

The best book to learn Java with

I am in a graduate course in Information Technology, preparatory to a career change. I have been studying programming for the past one-and-half years. I am also also an incurable bibliophile. We are using this book for the Java programming part of the graduate course. I can assure you this is the best book to learn Java with. I have over a dozen Java books now including those by Dietel & Dietel(Java How to), van der Linden("Just Java"), Cay Horstmann(Core Java"), Daniel Liang, Mughal & Rasmussen("Programmer's guide to Java Certification") , Laura Lemay("Teach Yourself Java 2 in 21 days"), John Hunt(Java for Practitioners), Joe O'Neil & Herb Schildt("Teach Yourself java") etc. (I repeat, I am an incurable bibliophile). None of these books teach Java better than Farrell's book. The examples are cogent, the codes work. There is none of those silly code snippets that you find in most programming books. Farrell's examples are real-life. The layout and plan of the chapters are very user-friendly. And most of all there is an abundance of exercises at the end of each chapter. Both the MCQs and the exercises really do reinforce the subject matter of each chapter and one learns a lot by doing the exercises. The exercises are also 'real-life' problems. I was so impressed by Farrell's Java book that I bought her other books: "Object-oriented programing with c++", "Fundamentals of programming logic" (both of which have rightly been given five-star reviews on Ammazon.com). Her books, including the one under review, show she must be a good teacher. Most programming books don't teach. To repeat a Chinese saying which I came across in Daniel Liang's book ("Introduction to Java programming with Micrsoft Visual J++") Java is "an afternoon to learn, a lifetime to master." Farrell's book does make that afternoon of learning Java a pleasurable one, and certainly a good start for a beginner on the road to Java mastership. My only complaint about the book is the poor binding, which I have found to be commom with books from the publisher, Course Technology. Although I have solved the problem by pouring my teenager's bottle of glue down the spine of the book, I am buying another copy of the book to have a clean copy to keep in my library. This a good example of a book that set out to teach a beginner and did. Let me end by stating some of the other books mentioned above are also good to learn Java with. For example I liked "Just Java" enough to immediately send for van der Linden's book on C programming ("Deep C secrets"). When I was doing one of the exercises in Farrell's book and I wanted to know how to declare an array of child classes in a way more concise than was presented by Farrell, I found the answer in "Just Java". The chapters in "Just Java" are concise and the illustrations are nice. I also like the quirky humor in the 'In A Lighter Mood' sections at the end of each chapter in "Just Java". (See

Good introduction for the novice programmer

This book is well-organized and easy to understand. It uses simple examples that focus on one feature of Java at a time so that the reader can easily understand each aspect of the Java language. It covers a broad range of basic Java features and offers a good foundation on which to build a more advanced knowledge of Java.