Discovering Smalltalk (Addison-Wesley Object Technology Series) [Paperback]

Wilf LaLonde (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0805327207 | ISBN-13: 978-0805327205 | Publication Date: January 10, 1994 | Edition: 1

An expert in Smalltalk, Lalonde provides an up-to-date introduction to this language in this comprehensive new book. Readers learn Smalltalk's syntax, library, and environment as well as fundamental programming and object-oriented development concepts. The author takes an experimental approach that encourages creative thinking and the use of different problem-solving techniques. This approach helps readers develop the skills and the confidence necessary for complex programming as they complete various programming exercises and analyze their results. Professor LaLonde enhances learning by including numerous screen captures throughout the book to show the results of each of the programming experiments. Additionally, a series of case studies demonstrate real-world applications of Smalltalk. Discovering Smalltalk is ideal both for those who have never programmed before and for experienced programmers who want to learn this powerful object-oriented language.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Professor LaLonde enhances learning by including numerous screen captures throughout the book to show the results of each of the programming experiments. Additionally, a series of case studies demonstrate real-world applications of Smalltalk. Discovering Smalltalk is ideal both for those who have never programmed before and for experienced programmers who want to learn this powerful object-oriented language.

About the Author

Wilf LaLonde is a Professor of Computer Science at CarletonUniversity. He has written several successful books and isco-author of a column on Smalltalk in the Journal ofObject-Oriented Programming. Professor LaLonde is also aco-founder of The Object People, a company specializingin object-oriented software development, training, andconsulting.

Product Details

• Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 1 edition (January 10, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805327207
• ISBN-13: 978-0805327205
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,547,500 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good introductory book to Smalltalk and objects, May 13, 1999

By 

Douglas Auclair ([e-mail]) (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Discovering Smalltalk (Addison-Wesley Object Technology Series) (Paperback)

This is a good book for someone who has no OO knowledge/experience wanting to learn Smalltalk for several reasons: 1) it avoids overloading the student with too much theory. It is particularly good at side-stepping a high-level description of objects in chapter one followed by designing objects with classes as an exercise in chapter two. In fact, it takes the opposite approach of those Fasttrack books; the first five chapters gently introduce the student to the Smalltalk environment and to object interactions. 2) It sticks to the task at hand: teaching Smalltalk to the neophyte. It does this by avoiding the Language Comparison Holy War and the My Style Is Better Than Yours Holy War. 3) It takes its time with each topic, reinforcing each point with words, exercises and homeworks.

There are two points weighing against this book as it stands: 1) it's dated; it's based on an older version of Smalltalk/V and uses constructs avoided now (such as the message "become" to change a variable's state). 2) For the person on the fast-track, it's slow. It spends a whole chapter on numbers, and waits three more before discussing classes.

In summary, this is a good book from which to learn Smalltalk and objects. I recommend using Smalltalk Express, a descendant of Smalltalk/V freely available from ObjectShare, along with the book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, March 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Discovering Smalltalk (Addison-Wesley Object Technology Series) (Paperback)

The book is exceptionally well written and is ideal for Smalltalk beginners. It might also be suited for Smalltalk literates who want to see how CRC design and Smalltalk fit together (Chapter 8).

The book takes you step by step through problems and takes you to a real discovery because it is honest enough to admit that first attempts turn out to be insufficient in later stages.
It, therefore, spares you to wonder how an experienced designer gets everything right the first time, but teaches you to rethink what you have done after each step and how to systematically perform iterative development.

I wholeheartedly recommend the book, which is by the way an excellent fit to the freely available Smalltalk Express distribution (Smalltalk/V).

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent in the Basics, April 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Discovering Smalltalk (Addison-Wesley Object Technology Series) (Paperback)

A good book for those wanting to get their "feet wet" in Smalltalk. Doesn't go over advanced topics. Overall, a good book.