Customer Reviews

Data Structures & Other Objects Using Java

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

So far this is the most clearly written and easily understood Computer Science text book that I have come across and used in a class. With most of the attention paid toward ADT's, our class not only learned them, but also the Java programming language on top of it! I highly recommend this book. Little if any bugs too!

I only needed to use the Hash table section. It was complete and the examples were easy to follow. The author explained hash tables in general, then he implimented one in java from scatch, and then it showed how to use the java api hash table classes. Very good job by MR. Main! I also read the hash table section in Core Java 1.1 volume I, but that book did not really explain hash tables very well.

I am using this for a data structures course and as I read through it (I am in Chapter 9 now) I am more and more impressed with it. So far I've found only one glaring Java syntax error (p. 246), which is pretty good considering today's shoddy proofreading. The students like it too. Good job!

I read a lot of confusing books by java experts that sometimes forget to go back to the simple basics when teaching simple minded readers. However, this book is for continuing readers of java who had some, but not expert training, experience in writing programs. What I liked most of this book is how he gives pointers on what to look out for while programming, and provides alternate solutions that would be better off in the long run than what general programmers tend to come up with. I also liked how he distinguished between specification and implementation to improve group/team environments (especially for large programs). His specifications before each class gave me a very intuitive idea of what is being asked rather than being confused with all that code. Once I got the general idea, I was able to under the code more. By following the convention that I described about the way he helps the readers, data structures became very clear to understand, especially when it comes to implementing such structures in Java. Its better to read this book slowly one chapter at a time than to jump into the middle, if you want to get a thorough established view of what is going on.

I have read several books on data structures (3). And in my opinion this is the worst of the lot. I have run into bugs, and if you buy this book you should go to the authors website so he can point them out for you. I had a great deal of trouble with this author's sample code, this is the main reason I did not like this book. Remember to include all his damn packages, when trying to compile his code, of course you have to get them from his website. buy a data structures book by Wiess or standish. Warning: the sample code in this book is overly confusing, and is clearer in other books.

Even after taking a mid-level CS course where this book was the required text, this book still sits on my bookshelf at work for reference. Why? Well, certainly it is not the most comprehensive book of data structures in existence, nor is it written with a scholarly tone.

But, that's the point! Michael Main's writing has the air of accessibility that many other CS texts fail to promote. In reading it, you'll feel like a guy that is passionate about this confusing subject is right there helping you out.

I think many reviewers are transferring their frustration about this particular topic to this book. It is not meant to be an authoritative tome about all the nuances of computer science, nor is it even meant to teach you how to program at all. It is meant to convey a deep understanding of what many common data structures are and how they work. In this respect, it is an absolutely wonderful book.

For the student seeking to learn data structures, this book certainly covers the basics (sorts, trees, graphs, recursive elements, stacks, queues) well. While some introductory Java is enforced, it assumes a general background in basic Java programming.

The book is very weak for learning how to use data structures. I found the sample code to be buggy, but you can find updates and most of the code in the book on his website. However, there was a unique and easy to understand approach to explaining the code, but there's very few examples of situations on how and where to use, If data structures is a new concept to you, then look elsewhere. Yes this was my first experience with data structures, and I stayed lost or confussed most of the time.

Michael Main takes a systematic approach to present a (possibly) daunting topic. As an avid reader of technical books, I have seen the full spectrum: from books that aren't worth the paper that they are printed on to books that you want to keep around because they are so good. This book definitely falls into the later category. Main has a incredible aptitude for making the abstract into the understandable. The readers comprehension of each new concept is solidified by it's methodical presentation. This book is worth every cent and more.

I like this book because it has clear explanations, easy to follow examples, quick review tests and answers. This book is a complete package in terms of learning data structures with Java. if you follow it from beginning to the end, do the exercises and some projects you will have a solid foundation to move to more complex topics and projects. As with any programming book, you get what you put in, so read and code. Some topics may seem too easy and there is a temptation to just skip them, resist the temptation and follow the structure. Then do some projects at the end of each section. Some readers say it's too spread out and easy, yet they fail to complete the projects. Small projects indicate how well you can apply the knowledge, so do them and maybe even expand on them and your success is guaranteed.