Customer Reviews

Java Now: The Easiest Way to Learn Java in the Least Amount of Time

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

 

 

I read this book 3 years ago, when I started to learn Java. While this book is not recommended for advanced users, I think it's the best one for a beginner, especially because it doesn't mislead You by favoring different IDEs (MS VJ++, Visual Cafe, etc.). I would also recommend Jamsa's book "Rescued by C++", to those intersted. Again, excellent book for college students or anyone new to programming.

This book is definately not 10 point material, but is nothing to sneeze at, never-the-less. Each chapter of the book was short, and simple, and you were expected to learn "why" something worked instead of just "type this blindly" (the teach yourself in XX days books use that method and I find it hard to LEARN anything from them) I really enjoyed the book and retained a lot of the information too! The biggest turnoff today for the book is that it covers jdk1.0.x thus some of the APIs are deprecated (this can be a good thing though, it will teach you how to use the API manuals to find out what replaced those deprecated APIs.. thus LEARNING) I too noticed many typos, but to look at the bright side, when I saw a typo it proved to me that I was actually LEARNING, and was able to point out errors made by the author themself.. in short, even the books shortcomings turned out to be vastly helpful!

Ten-minute approach is good to teach the beginners new tricks. They may learn general data processing knowledge later on. It is more attractive with few simple lessons on Stand-Alone programms working with files. I wish to buy some copies of the next edition.

Java Now! is probably the quickest and most content-packed book about the Java programming language. The book, which is divided into three sections, covers almost all topics of Java programming from variables to loops to threads to animation to mouse and keyboard input to interfaces and inheritance to abstract classes to dialog-box operations and more.

So, if you're a begginer and are looking for an easy way to learn Java, this is the book for you. You can finish reading it quickly, due to its 10-minute lessons, and be on your way to creating complex object-oriented programs within days.

You know there's something wrong with a book if the back cover claims it's the best one for programmers who've already learned C/C++ *and* the best one for people who haven't programmed before. Those are mutually exclusive goals; there is simply too much stuff to teach someone who is not a programmer that could be skipped if one is a programmer.

Secondly, you know a book about programming is going to suck if it doesn't cover input much -- this one doesn't until chapter 29 (the last one). Non-programmers, try to imagine a program that doesn't ask any questions of the user. It reduces your computer to a calculator, and little more, regardless of what loops/HTML it uses. It's simply not that handy.

I give it two stars because it is outdated, hardly useful, and highly annoying. It is, however, a good guide for absolute beginners who don't mind all of the miscellaneous problems. And it is (was) a good buy at ~$15. So, if you want to learn *something*, and all you have is $15, go ahead. Otherwise, find a better one.

Finally, and just as a kind of general belly ache, why do all programming books feel like they have to spend the first chapter telling you why that programming language is so great? I mean, you bought the book already, so it's not going to attract any customers. It seems as though they want you to memorize their propaganda for whatever flame wars you are expected to engage in simply for buying the book.

Another general gripe -- why do the people who write these feel like it is nessisary to say, "you'll be programming minutes after buying my book!" ? After the first one, most people realize that your first program is going to be the one that does absolutely nothing -- useful or for your ego. I find it much more amusing when I make a useful program on my own using a language I know well than when I copy one out of a book in a language I don't know.

I knew nothing about programming before this book. At first I was annoyed and a little frustrated by the sparse explanations, but later as I studied the provide code deeper, my understanding really took off. This book can be great if you stick with it and really study.

Not wonderful. Java in a Nutshell is a much better book with far more salient examples. I bought that, and had success with it, after I gave up on Jamsa's ungreat handbook.

This book is better organized than most "How To Learn Java" books I've seen. Generally, the author does not try and put too much into each chapter, which makes for less confusion, no "black holes". The book is really designed for those with MS Windows-based computers; Mac users, for instance, may find some unfamiliar terms ("command-line", for instance). One problem: LOTS OF TYPOS! -and in the code, too! If the author/editor had taken more pains in this respect, he would have saved his readers some! All in all, though, a good introduction to Java.

I haven't been able to use the JDK (Java Developer's Kit) fully, so this may have some bearing on my review. The tone is non-condescending and friendly, but there were terms that I needed explained more fully. Some of the obvious points were reiterated again in highlighted comment boxes, which I found irritating. Nice try, esp. the link to the jamsa.com website, but not especially helpful in the long run. I'll need to pick up a more comprehensive book to really get the basics straight

A very good book to start to learn Java (though currently a bit outdated). I am continuously using it when I have to find the basic ideas about a concept in Java.