Customer Reviews

Distributed Programming with Java

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Distributed Programming with Java aims to teach the reader how to build distributed services using a variety of technologies, including sockets, remote-method invocation (RMI), and the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA). While many programmers will be familiar with sockets, the other two technologies are incredibly powerful tools for creating distributed applications. RMI is for execution of Java methods remotely, similar to the old remote-procedure call technology, but with an object-orientated twist. CORBA is a more universal system, which allows object methods written in any language (such as C++, Java or Ada) to be called remotely. Incredible stuff, but incredibly complex.

That's where Distributed Programming with Java comes in. It teaches the theory of remote-method invocation and CORBA, and gives you practical examples in Java. There are also chapters on socket programming and mobile agency. The socket chapters are good as a refresher course for those who have already done network programming, but are a poor substitute for the coverage offered by other books, such as the excellent Java Network Programming (also published by Manning). As for the Mobile Agents chapters, while they are interesting reading, they may not be generally applicable to all developers. If you're buying the book, you're really buying it for the RMI and CORBA coverage.

The author clearly knows his remote-method invocation - showing you how to digitally sign your RMI code, to create distributed services with callbacks, and how to use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to protect your RMI applications from prying eyes. The later requires the new Java 2 platform, which includes SSL support.

When it comes to the CORBA chapters, however, I'm a little disappointed. The author chooses to use the VisiBroker CORBA implementation, and completely ignores the CORBA IDL support in the new Java 2 platform. I suspect that these chapters may have been written prior to the release of the Java 2 platform, and there is explanation for the choice of VisiBroker. Nor, for that matter, is there much help in downloading or installing the VisiBroker software (a copy on CD along with source would certainly have been nice). However, the technical coverage of CORBA theory is very well done, and the chapters on basic CORBA theory, IDL-to-Java mapping, and IDL inheritance could be used no matter what choice of CORBA implementation you make.

For its mobile agent coverage, the author chose ObjectSpace's Voyager system. There are a couple of paragraphs on alternate mobile agent systems, such as Telescript/Odyssey and Aglets, but the coverage of these is superficial to say the least. However, it does give very good coverage of mobile agents using Voyager, and how to integrate Voyager with CORBA.

If you're interested in distributed systems using remote-method invocation or CORBA, then Distributed Programming with Java makes a great guide to the subject. It's filled with practical examples, and good coverage of the theory. However, the sections on socket and mobile agent programming aren't designed for beginners, and won't suit all tastes. Nonetheless, the RMI and CORBA coverage alone makes it worthwhile as a reference, and if you have an interest in mobile agents that comes as a bonus. -- David Reilly, for the Java Coffee Break

I have tried learning network programming from Orfali's client/server programming with Java and CORBA, but that book was hard to understand. This book is concise and gets to the point. I love it. I have learned a lot from it. It is surely worth the money.

I bought two books at the same time when I start to learn rmi. One is this book, another one is "java.rmi Guide".
Before I start, the second one seems more attractive as its name implies,so I decided to use "java.rmi Guide" as the main book, use the Distributed programming with Java only as a reference, but when I start learning, I read the "java.rmi Guide", I was totally lost, the book full of concepts with few examples.
So finally, I spent most of my time on "Distributed programming in Java" because this book not only explains the concepts very clearly, but also gives out many good examples. At least, when I read it and run the codes in this book, I know what I am doing and why.
As some readers suggested: maybe the java.rmi Guide is good for experienced, but not for beginners.
For beginners who want to learn RMI and CORBA, "Distributed Programming with Java" is the most appropiate book for them.

I have been looking for a good book to learn sockets programming. I saw this book @ BN and I liked the stuff on sockets. I bought it and I have enjoyed the chapters on sockets programming -- cool stuff with lots of sample examples. There are some minor errors here and there but it was worth the money.

The book was a required text for a 4th year course at my university. I bought the book and I found it to be great. The stuff on sockets and RMI is superb -- provides implementations for several protocols.

I am new to network programming. I bought this book to learn about it. I like the book very much. The easy-to-understand examples throughout the book are very helpful in understanding network programming. Well written.

Very informative on the different techniques for developing distributed applications. It takes you from the low-level(sockets) to the highest(agents). Unlike other books, this one actually shows you how to run the sample applications provided. Many different protocols are explained and implemented. Good job.

It is a very good book for starters, but also it has some topics here and there for advanced developers. I personally like the RMI Object Factory, the author explains the subject very well. Well done!.

I am currently going thru this book on the chapters on distributed computing. The examples given in this book are too simple and brief. Although it helps to introduce and provide a simple guide to the CORBA topics, after a couple of hours later, I find that it is too brief and frankly it lacks substance.

Quite disapointed.

I found this book to be quite interesting. It covers a broad range of topics (sockets, rmi, corba, agents). The basic stuff is very well explained in the book. The book is a bit weak in some of the advanced topics but it serves as an excellent tutorial on network programming. I recommend this book for anyone interested in getting started with network programming using Java.