This practical text provides an introduction to programming in Smalltalk, and explains the most efficient ways to think about and work with the system. Split into two parts, the first part covers the important technical background for programmers and managers, while the second part introduces some of the basic philosophy of Smalltalk. This text aims to demystify the transition from conventional programming to programming with Smalltalk. It includes a step-by-step guide, taking the reader through the basics, via object-oriented programming with the Smalltalk language and its development environment, right up to designing, coding and debugging programs.
 |
| |||||||||||||||
Shop the Amazon.com Textbooks Store and save up to 70% on textbook rentals, 90% on used textbooks and 60% on eTextbooks. |
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From the Publisher
This highly readable and practical book provides an effective introduction to programming in Smalltalk, and explains the most efficient ways to think about and work with the system. The Art and Science of Smalltalk aims to demystify the transition from conventional programming to programming with Smalltalk. It includes a step-by-step guide, taking the reader through the basics, via object-oriented programming with Smalltalk language and its development environment, right up to designing, coding and debugging your own programs.
From the Back Cover
Split into two parts, the first part (the Science of Smalltalk) Covers the important technical background for programmers and managers, while the second part (the Art of Small talk)introduces some of the basic philosophy of Smalltalk. It includes a step-by-step guide taking the reader through the basics, via object-oriented programming with the Smalltalk language and its development environment, right up to designing, coding and debugging your own programs. Chapters on many of the basic tools, including the Smalltalk debugger, plus an introduction to Smalltalk's model-view-controller (NVC) mechanism. Essential reading for anyone who is involved in moving up from a 'traditional' lang uage such as C, COBOL, Pascal or BASIC, to an object-oriented language such as Smalltalk.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
More About the Authors
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
Share your thoughts with other customers
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 36 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Textbook Binding
Simon Lewis's book "The Art and Science of Smalltalk" has to be one of the best books on Smalltalk programming I have ever read. After spending months reading many other books on the subject and still not getting a clear, concise description of some important Smalltalk constructs, I could not believe how incredibly readable this book was. Lewis has managed to explain in a few pages what took other authors multiple chapters.
In addition, diagrams and figures are only used when they will actually help the reader to understand a concept. Unlike other texts references to figures and diagrams occur in close proximity to them rather than twenty pages before or after.
The book is divided into two parts which address different but equally important aspects of programming in Smalltalk. The first section deals with the "science" of Smalltak and covers the development environment, class library, and dependency mechanisms (Model-View-Controller Architecture). The second section gives sage advice on the "art" of Smalltalk. This includes sections on how to best utilize Smalltalk in an environment of extensive reuse, management of Smalltalk projects, and debugging techniques.
I would rate this book as a must have for Smalltalk programmers at any level. If I were to teach a course in Smalltalk this book would be required. Lewis should be commended for his command of the Smalltalk language and his eloquence in explaining it to others.<P
By JonShops
Format:Textbook Binding|Amazon Verified Purchase
This text is everything as promised. It is a very useful view of Smalltalk that is theoretically inspired while still being practical (although by no means step-by-step). I got it to better understand Smalltalk syntax for examples in the Gamma book (Design Patterns). It's perfect for that, and beyond.
I doubt a person could really learn Smalltalk with just this book, but with this and online documentation, I think someone would be on their way to learning it.
The text has a very easy to read conversational tone. It doesn't quite come up to being "a classic," but it gives us a very good view of Smalltalk both as a language and as a system. It is amazing to note that since 1995 (publication date) so much of Smalltalk has been incorporated in the commercial languages Java and C# that this book is even easier to read for most programmers now than it would have been back then.
I doubt a person could really learn Smalltalk with just this book, but with this and online documentation, I think someone would be on their way to learning it.
The text has a very easy to read conversational tone. It doesn't quite come up to being "a classic," but it gives us a very good view of Smalltalk both as a language and as a system. It is amazing to note that since 1995 (publication date) so much of Smalltalk has been incorporated in the commercial languages Java and C# that this book is even easier to read for most programmers now than it would have been back then.
By mpez0
Format:Textbook Binding|Amazon Verified Purchase
Very good overview of the Smalltalk system and how do design, structure and debug in Smalltalk. Excellent introduction and side reference as I go through examples and tutorials from elsewhere. Good explanations of *why* some things are done the way they are and introductions to some of the unique or nearly so features of Smalltalk.
By W. Ghost
Format:Textbook Binding
The book is well organized, well written and clear. It's not a "programming language book": it will actually show you some great ideas about object orientation. The first half of the book teaches you Smalltalk (and the model-view-controller framework) and also helps show how important this language is to you if you *really* are into OOP. The second part is about best practices in design, implementation, testing and debugging.
The book focuses on VisualWorks Smalltalk, but it is OK if you are using some other Smalltalk implementation such as Squeak, for example, since most of the time it won't get into incompatible details.
I do recommend this to anyone interested in programming, and very strongly to those interested in OOP in general (not just Smalltalk).
The book focuses on VisualWorks Smalltalk, but it is OK if you are using some other Smalltalk implementation such as Squeak, for example, since most of the time it won't get into incompatible details.
I do recommend this to anyone interested in programming, and very strongly to those interested in OOP in general (not just Smalltalk).
2 of 36 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Textbook Binding
history of smalltalk system
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Listmania!
So You'd Like to...
Look for Similar Items by Category
- Books > Computers & Technology > Programming > Languages & Tools
- Books > Computers & Technology > Programming > Software Design, Testing & Engineering > Object-Oriented Design
- Books > Computers & Technology > Software
- Books > Education & Reference
- Books > New, Used & Rental Textbooks > Computer Science > Programming Languages
- Books > Science & Math > Mathematics
