Using Google App Engine [Paperback]

Charles Severance (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 20, 2009 | ISBN-10: 059680069X | ISBN-13: 978-0596800697 | Edition: 1

Build exciting, scalable web applications quickly and confidently using Google App Engine and this book, even if you have little or no experience in programming or web development.

App Engine is perhaps the most appealing web technology to appear in the last year, providing an easy-to-use application framework with basic web tools. While Google's own tutorial assumes significant experience, Using Google App Engine will help anyone get started with this platform. By the end of this book, you'll know how to build complete, interactive applications and deploy them to the cloud using the same servers that power Google applications.

With this book, you will:

• Get an overview of the technologies necessary to use Google App Engine
• Learn how to use Python, HTML, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), HTTP, and DataStore, App Engine's database
• Grasp the technical aspects necessary to create sophisticated, dynamic web applications
• Understand what's required to deploy your applications

Using Google App Engine is also an excellent resource for experienced programmers who want to acquire working knowledge of web technologies. Building web applications used to be for experts only, but with Google App Engine-and this book-anyone can create a dynamic web presence.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Charles Severance is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Information at the University of Michigan; he has also taught Computer Science at Michigan State University. Charles also works with the IMS Global Learning Consortium as the IMS Developer Network Coordinator. Previously he was the Executive Director of the Sakai Foundation and the Chief Architect of the Sakai Project (www.sakaiproject.org). Charles is the author of High Performance Computing, Second Edition, published by O'Reilly and Associates. His home page is http://www.dr-chuck.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 1 edition (May 20, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 059680069X
• ISBN-13: 978-0596800697
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #430,699 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Charles Severance is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Information at the University of Michigan where he teaches Informatics courses; he has also taught Computer Science at Michigan State University. Charles also works with the IMS Global Learning Consortium as the IMS Developer Network Coordinator. Previously he was the Executive Director of the Sakai Foundation and the Chief Architect of the Sakai Project (www.sakaiproject.org). His home page is http://www.dr-chuck.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a self-contained book on programming, July 21, 2009

By 

Philip Greenspun (Cambridge, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Using Google App Engine (Paperback)

I've been programming for 33 years, so in theory I shouldn't like a book that wastes pages explaining what HTTP and HTML are. Nor should I thrill to the first section in the Python chapter, which is called "What is Programming?"

How come I like this book so much then?

It is a self-contained 240-page book on programming. A smart motivated person with no experience could sit down and build a functional cloud app. If you had a friend who wanted to see what the life of a computer nerd was like, this is a great book. Is it as useful as the Google App Engine online docs? Not for an experienced programmer, but for the novice it is nice not to have to refer to a dozen interlocking books and Web sites in order to get "hello world" working.

The world needs more computer programming books like this.

21 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good content...once you get to it, June 7, 2009

By 

Echo (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Using Google App Engine (Paperback)

I'm a programmer/web developer by trade, and I had dabbled a little bit with GAE and wanted this book to have a physical copy (I like carrying books around) for reference. The content regarding GAE is really good, once you get to it. Unfortunately, half the book is chock full of what I jokingly refer to as the "History of the Internet" chapters. Some books actually have a "History of the Internet" chapter, but this book has 4 chapters explaining the web, HTML, CSS, and Python. If you don't know HTML, CSS, and Python, go buy books about those topics. Maybe the author should have added chapters on "How to Use a Computer" and "How to Read this Book". It feels like the author needed X-number of pages and just filled the first half with fluff. That's why I give this book 3 stars.

The actual GAE content, however, is really good and helpful. It doesn't go as deep as I would like, but that doesn't keep it from getting a 5 star review for this part.

So really, my review is 5 stars and 1 star, averaging out to 3 stars. I buy O'Reilly books because I don't expect them to be marketed at the "for Dummies" crowd. It's usually safe to assume that the books teach the topic and assume most of the previous knowledge. Unfortunately, because the book spends half the chapters on the Dummies content and the other half not going deep enough, I have to give it 3 stars, which is really too bad because I like the way the good GAE content is present...it's just not enough.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not like all of O'Reilly's stuff, but excellent for what it is., November 20, 2009

By 

Robert Glushko - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Using Google App Engine (Paperback)

I'm a noob programmer, and I used this book as part of a class. I'm not sure how it works on its own, but as an instructional tool, it's the, hands down, best programming textbook I have ever used.