I have reviewed many beginner books on
Java in the search for a textbook for
an "Introduction to Java" class that I teach at Hofstra University. Few of
these books have met the goal of providing a solid base of knowledge upon
which a programmer can build. Ivor Horton's "Beginning Java" is one of those few.
This book is an excellent introduction to Java for anyone who has a basic
understanding of programming and is willing to apply some effort to learn
the language. Horton proceeds at a rapid pace to cover virtually every important
topic in Java outside of the Enterprise Edition. Starting with the basics of the
Java language Horton explains the Java syntax in great detail. He then goes on to
cover exceptions, streams, utility classes, threads, GUI (with a concentration on
Swing), file processing, and database access using
JDBC. Each chapter builds upon
the previous chapter using extensive, well designed and clearly explained examples.
Although the book covers a wide range of topics, it does not treat any of them lightly.
Many introductory books fall short in the very important topic of object oriented
technique. Horton does an excellent job of both explaining OO and then using it in
his many examples. Unlike other books that you may read and discard in 21 days, this
is a book that will continue to provide help many months into your Java career.
The latest edition of this book includes revisions for JDK 1.3. (Thomas Paul - bartender, April 2001)
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