• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
programming forums Java Mobile Certification Databases Caching Books Engineering Micro Controllers OS Languages Paradigms IDEs Build Tools Frameworks Application Servers Open Source This Site Careers Other Pie Elite all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
Marshals:
  • Campbell Ritchie
  • Jeanne Boyarsky
  • Ron McLeod
  • Paul Clapham
  • Liutauras Vilda
Sheriffs:
  • paul wheaton
  • Rob Spoor
  • Devaka Cooray
Saloon Keepers:
  • Stephan van Hulst
  • Tim Holloway
  • Carey Brown
  • Frits Walraven
  • Tim Moores
Bartenders:
  • Mikalai Zaikin

The difference - "Art of Java"

 
Greenhorn
Posts: 6
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hi all!
I'd like to ask the authors:
What is the main difference from their book to other Java books in this line.
What kind of knowledge they identified as not yet well explained and that the book will help.
Which level of readers is this book designed for? Will it be of some help to a SJCP1.4? Is it indicated to those starting in the language?
Do the examples presented use some UML diagrams to illustrate its construction?
Thanks,
Tiago
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 140
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hi Tiago,
I just had a look at Amazon for this book, and it looks like it goes in the category of Java books that shows actual implementations of the Java language.
�Examples range from language interpreters, Web crawlers, and e-mail subsystems to expression parsers, statistical tools, and financial applets.�
The book shows the "cool stuff" in programming.
As reviewer David M. Williams (from Bolton Point, NSW Australia) wrote:
�This is a truly outstanding book and is surely a "must-read" for any serious Java programmer. The authors are touted as "two genuine Java gurus"... "The Art of Java" is a brilliant guide to producing intensely useful and technical Java applications�
Another reader wrote �Schildt and Holmes have done an outstanding job on this one. Unlike so many other books, which only teach the basics of Java, this book demonstrates how to use Java to actually do something practical! My two favorite chapters are Schildt's expression parser and Holmes' Web crawler. I whole heartedly recommend this book to any serious Java programmer�.
So, this book sounds made for people who already know Java and already program in this language. Not for a preparation SJCP1.4.
Hope this helps.
 
Author
Posts: 253
6
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Tiago:
I think that the answer to your question is found in the following paragraph from the preface of "The Art of Java"
"This book is different from most other books on Java. Whereas other books teach the basics of the language, this book shows how to apply it to some of computing's most interesting, useful, and, at times, mysterious programming tasks. In the process, it displays the power, versatility, and elegance of the Java language. Thus, it is through the art of Java that the artistry of Java's design is displayed."
The book is for all Java programmers. It does, however, assume a basic level of competency.
[ January 06, 2004: Message edited by: Herb Schildt ]
 
Greenhorn
Posts: 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
James Holmes has two samples chapters from the book at his Art of Java page

This appears to be a book that covers using Java to develop complex applications and tools.
Based on a quick review of the two posted chapters, I'm a little concerned that the book covers such things as algorithmic thinking and how to build a solution with a view to extensibility.
But I'm also concerned that I don't see any discussion of patterns and their use in solution development. For example the web crawler is really an implementation of the Visitor pattern. And using the Decorator pattern would, I believe, make extensibility easier in the web crawler.
I'm also troubled by the complete lack of Javadoc comments in the downloaded code. This is really not a good example of how to develop useable and maintainable tools.
Authors: who is your target audience for this book and what problems are you trying to solve for them?
I really believe that encouraging better engineering by example is important for a book that claims to be unlocking

the secrets that professional programmers use to create world-class software

(my emphasis).
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 3178
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
In my opinion after skimming through the two sample chapters, the book is for the intermediate to advance level in Java Programming language... But I hope that Java beginners in Computer Science major also might want to have a look at the topic related to them, especially in AI topic, A Recursive-Descent Expression Parser topic and Implementing Language Interpreters topic, since they are computer science topics as well...
Just my 2 cents...
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 5093
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
patterns IMO are overused in general and should NEVER be applied in code that is designed to exhibit a specific algorithm or principle (unless that principle is a pattern) as they tend to clutter the resulting code to the point where the algorithm might get lost.
This is not a book about patterns therefore strict adherence to patterns (except where their use clarifies the code itself) is not needed.
And where used, there is no need (as there would be in a book about patterns) to tell explicitly that pattern X was used and for what reason.
Such information is beyond the scope of this book and again would only clutter the information presented with data best left to other books.
 
Consider Paul's rocket mass heater.
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic