12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Sloppy, April 24, 2001
This review is from: Java 2 Exam Notes (Programmer's Exam) (Paperback)
Although this book is a good review for the certification exam, it is filled with errors in code and language. Many code examples, when applied into JDK, gave results that were different than expected (compile errors etc.). Computer programming textbooks, especially a study guide for certification, cannot afford to be sloppy.
I am not a publisher and do not claim to know anything about publishing. However, I was taken aback by the lack of attention given to the correctness and compilibility of the code examples. I would compare it to missing ingredients in a book of recipes. It might be excusacble as an oversight or typo - but what good is it to you if you have to keep second-guessing the contents.
Do not attempt to take the certification exam with this book as your only source (unless you are a Java Guru and a walking Java compiler). The most helpful book I have found is Deitel & Deitel's Java How to Program Third Edition. All of their code compiles cleanly and they give wonderful explanations of the topics at hand.
You can buy The Complete Java 2 Certification Study Guide, by Simon Roberts, Philip Heller and Michael Ernest (although this book has many errors and is bone dry when it comes to real life analogies and examples) and use the Exam Notes review as a review only!! There is a lot that is mentioned in the review book that is not covered in the Study Guide and vice versa.
I am a computer professional for close to ten years and am relatively new to Java. I was able to get Sun Certified only through mixing and matching the strengths of many Java books and web resources.
I still think it's worth your time to get the review book - but just be aware that it does not come without its shortcomings.
Good luck to all you certification candidates!! The exam is tough!!
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Java 2 Exam Notes: Programmer's Exam, November 22, 2000
This review is from: Java 2 Exam Notes (Programmer's Exam) (Paperback)
I am a novice JAVA programmer, but I am also a 15-year computer professional; in my opinion this book is a good refresher book AFTER you've read the author's first book "The Complete Java 2 Certification Study Guide". The content was very good as a reminder of what to study for. In addition, the information on the SUN certification process was as up-to-date as possible, at the time of publishing. But the book should not be your first exposure to the JAVA certification process UNLESS you consider yourself a JAVA-guru. I will definitely have this journal-sized book in my car, in order to peruse it one final time before I walk in and take the exam.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
good exam cram book, December 19, 2000
This review is from: Java 2 Exam Notes (Programmer's Exam) (Paperback)
Of couse, it is not the first (but final) book for exam. Smallest available. I was pleasantly surprised on exam to see 2 exact questions from the book and see clear warnings ( like 'if(1)' will not compile - as C programmer I would be trapped after reading 600 page study guide). I passed thanks to this book. Take samples from the book seriously. ;->
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