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Core Java(TM) 2, Volume II--Advanced Features by Cay Horstmann, Gary Cornell

 
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<pre>
Author/s : Cay Horstmann, Gary Cornell
Publisher : Prentice Hall PTR
Category : Advanced Java
Review by : David O'Meara
Rating : 8 horseshoes
</pre>
I've always been impressed with the quality of the 'Core' series and happily this book is no exception.

My first impression of "Core Java 2, Volume 2 - Advanced Features" (7th Edition) was that the book contained too much information and was too small for the task it had set itself. However it didn't long for me to revise this perception.

Java 5 includes a huge number of new features. This book does its best to expose you to the new features and doesn't give a definitive example for each part, but provides at least enough so you know what they're for and can spot them in the wild. The examples strike the right balance between length and detail so that you're onto the next topic before getting bogged down in the current one. There is a good mixture of code snippets and full source included, though sometimes I felt the excess could have been trimmed for a few of them.

Personally I loved the coverage of Threading, Collections, Security and XML, but there was enough in each chapter to make it worth reading.

This is an excellent resource for any programmer looking for a quality Java 5 text, although you'll want to consider pairing it with volume one if you lack programming experience. Whether you have experience with the features in the new version or not, the depth of information makes it an important book to add to your bookshelf.


More info at Amazon.com
More info at Amazon.co.uk
 
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<pre>Author/s : Cay S. Horstmann, Gary Cornell
Publisher : Prentice Hall PTR
Review : Link
Reviewed by : Michael Ernest
Rating : 10 horseshoes
</pre>
In my review of Professional Java JDK 6 Edition, I said I didn't think one book could cover so many topics and serve the reader well. This volume is an exception that proves the point.

It is a monster book, easily several months of steady work to get through, and an useful reference afterwards as well. It is well put together, clearly written, methodically presented. I wouldn't put it down if that were possible. The coverage is broad and the examples are interesting. The topics also feel complete, not because they are thorough, but because they leave off right where intermediate-level programmers could work out most details on their own.

I read the first and second editions years ago. I must say this title is a case study in steady, disciplined, tireless improvement and refinement of the original. It's 990 pages, but I haven't come across a useless sentence yet. The authors haven't just added on. They've refined their examples, improved and replaced others. Most importantly, they've realized a format that puts boilerplate and API tables to the side, allowing the reader to focus on the concept at hand. Complete code listings are presented in a way that's easy to pass over in favor of the files available by download.

If you need lots of code work on different topics to urn Java into your fingertips -- and there is no better way to do it -- this book is an excellent choice

More info at Amazon.com
[ May 21, 2008: Message edited by: Book Review Team ]
 
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