J2EE 1.4: The Big Picture [Paperback]

Solveig Haugland (Author), Mark Cade (Author), Anthony Orapallo (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 28, 2004

In short, J2EE is a powerful, but complex technology. J2EE is many things, but essentially it is a standard for application servers. In this innovative new book, the authors provide a concise and entertaining introduction to the J2EE platform for professionals who need to understand the big picture, and may or may not be technically savvy. The book provides an overview of the four key tiers in J2EE and how they work, at a level anyone can understand. This book is tightly focused on J2EE and will not address competing technologies or extended implementation or specific development or deployment details.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"Need to learn J2EE? J2EE 1.4: The Big Picture is a must-have guide that is both enjoyable and educational. I highly recommend it."

--Peter van der Linden, software consultant and author of Expert C Programming, Not Just Java, and Just Java

"Anyone working with J2EE needs this book. You can get the details and the code examples from a lot of other places, but this book provides the essential under-standing of all the parts and how they work together."

--Simon Roberts, author of the Sun Certified Enterprise Architect for J2EE Technology Certification Exam and Study Guide

"I've ordered copies of J2EE 1.4: The Big Picture for everyone in my department. Not only because it's the most understandable technical book I've ever read, but because my review copy keeps disappearing from my office."

--Larissa Carroll, manager, BEA Systems

"If you're tired of technical books that are all about the details and don't tell you how the whole thing works, you want this book. There's absolutely nothing else like it."

--Patricia Parkhill, managing editor, Sun Microsystems

"I like it very much. It definitely paints a clear picture of the whole J2EE thing. It's a book I'd recommend to J2EE developers of any skill level."

--Dirk Schreckmann, JavaRanch Journal Editor and Sheriff in the JavaRanch Big Moose Saloon

"This book gives me a headache, because on just about every page I'd slap myself in the head and say 'That's it?!? That's what all the mystery is about?!' Now I feel like I'm in the know. I might not be able to code this stuff yet, but I sure get what's going on now."

--Floyd Jones, senior technical writer, BEA Systems

"This book makes J2EE seem so easy. The informal, friendly tone of the book is extremely helpful. It made me understand the beans stuff, CMP and BMP, with-out any effort at all. In fact, it is frighteningly perfect and uncomplicated. I think the book is also just the right one for managers, project managers, and other non-techies who interact with J2EE developers."

--Manish Hatwalne, Software Consultant, Circus Software LLC

"I love J2EE 1.4: The Big Picture. I love how it breaks down a big thing, like J2EE services and architecture, into smaller digestible chunks. And once in the micro topic, the explanations are so easy to absorb. The explanations do build on top of each other, making--dare I say it--a big picture. And I FINALLY GET TRANSACTIONS!"

--Jeannie Saur, documentation specialist, Trimble Navigation Limited

"I would recommend this as a good beginner's reference for J2EE, or for anyone looking for a supplement for an advanced J2EE course."

--College Java instructor

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About the Author

Solveig Haugland is a technical writer and instructor. She knows what it's like to sit through hours of tech gibberish that make absolutely no sense. She would sooner drink a vial of really vile poison than put stuff into this book like "session beans reify the enduring business processes of your enterprise." Without a suitable explanation, at least.

Mark Cade is a member of Sun Professional Services. This is the same group that brought you John Crupi, Deepak Alur, and Dan Malks of Core J2EE Patterns fame. Mark's been with Java since the beginning and works on big J2EE projects for a living. He's also the coauthor of the Sun J2EE architect exam and the architect exam study guide.

Anthony Orapallo is a technical instructor and has taught a variety of Java topics, including Sun's Enterprise JavaBeans course. He knows what it's like to be up there in front of a class explaining just what the Home interface is, so he knows how to teach.

0131480103AB08162004

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR (June 28, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0131480103
• ISBN-13: 978-0131480100
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,672,822 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In the mold of "Head First Java", March 2, 2005

By 

Pen Name "whiteaura" (milpitas, ca USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: J2EE 1.4: The Big Picture (Paperback)

This book reminds me of Kathy Sierra and Bert Bates' Head First Books. Cute easy to remember monikers. Just like the title says "the big picture...", and that's what they deliver! A very nice broad coverage of J2EE technology and concepts. If you don't have a clue what J2EE is about, they do a wonderful job of easing you through it without any code samples. The book is not at the level of Head First Series but the topics were nicely broken down, with a casual informal style of delivery and plenty of illustrations and pneumonics. For a small book, it has a lot of info.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars hits the nail on the head, November 30, 2004

By 

Matthew Brandabur "played a java geek on tv..." (Boulder, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: J2EE 1.4: The Big Picture (Paperback)

You know how most java books go from Hello World directly to Now Write Your Own Banking System From Scratch?

Not so here. Haugland & co. illuminate the concepts crucial to understanding this new revision of the language so you can actually make use of the platform without spending forever wading through code samples.

It will make your job easier.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just what I needed, August 14, 2004

By 

D. Batten "deebat" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: J2EE 1.4: The Big Picture (Paperback)

I am a nongeek in the J2EE world and have finally found a book that tells me what I actually need to know. I feel I have a much better grasp of J2EE, EJBs, Jsps, and so on now that I have The Big Picture. There's a lot of good high level information on the point of J2EE, the "from the beginning" rationale that doesn't get enough play. There are some code

examples showing how you put together EJBs, some examples of JSPs and servlets, but in general the book doesn't go off the deep end with too much technical detail. (Which is where the other books lose me.) There is also a very informative chapter on Web services that a nice explanation of how they work, plus what they're good for and some disadvantages.