Just Java 2 (5th Edition) (Paperback)

~ Peter Van Der Linden (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Peter van der Linden's newly revised Just Java 2, Fifth Edition adds a good deal of updated material and a lot more personality to an already capable tutorial aimed at the beginning Java developer, preferably with some previous programming experience.

While earlier editions of this title certainly delivered the goods, the new edition beefs up the author's personal touch. At the end of each chapter, van der Linden--a true Silicon Valley insider--shares numerous war stories drawn from computing, with topics ranging from scam computer companies and products to achievements in computer history (like the invention of the mouse and the source for HAL in Stanley Kubrick's 2001). Several sections rail against the attempt to suppress algorithms that subvert DVD protection schemes (including an "illegal" long prime number and even a T-shirt that contains the "illegal" C code).

The other standout feature of this volume is the excellent use of graphics and highlighted text to enhance its presentation. While most computer programming books today don't even provide syntax highlighting for code, this one goes much further, with appealing graphics and effective use of bold text to bring out essential points, as well as to make it easier to use as a reference for getting to essential APIs quickly.

Besides excellent production values (and something of the free-spirited "edge" of programmer culture), this book covers all the bases for client-side Java in considerable depth. A product of the author's extensive teaching and computing experience, van der Linden makes "big picture" topics clear, including object-oriented programming. His patient and clear tour of the details of Java syntax and basic language features is simply one of the best.

Coverage of leading-edge topics (including emerging APIs in the new J2SE 1.4 standard) including new I/O (or "NIO"), regular expressions, and XML in Java all bring this text up to date. While some revised editions don't change much, this title breaks the mold with an excellent mix of new material and a truly stellar delivery.

Whether for classroom or at-home study, the new Just Java 2 provides a nearly unbeatable blend of expertise and presentation style. This lively and technically authoritative guide to essential Java development can now lay claim to being one of the best available tutorials on the subject available today, bar none. --Richard Dragan

Topics covered: Introduction and advantages of the Java platform (versions of Java and "future-proofing" software); tutorial to object-oriented programming (including constructors, per-instance, and per-class members); types of Java executables; Java language tutorial; keywords and data types, names, arrays, operators, inheritance and polymorphism, iteration and flow control, exceptions, assertions; Java interfaces explained; packages and visibility rules; the Java Character class in depth; threads and synchronization; mutual exclusion; garbage collection; quick introduction to design patterns; Java file I/O (including files, reading and writing text, and binary values); advanced I/O (including random file access); J2SE 1.4 new I/O (NIO) package (including memory-mapped files); big- and little-endian byte order explained; Java support for regular expressions; Java collections; utility classes (including math and calendar classes); introduction to servlets and JavaServer Pages (JSPs); Java networking (including sockets, e-mail, and a custom multithreaded HTTP server); Remote Method Invocation (RMI); Swing GUI event handling; applet basics; Swing component tutorial; layouts; JavaBeans for custom UI objects; Java security; tutorial for SQL and databases; JDBC basics; introduction to XML (including DOM and SAX support); and an appendix on AWT control programming.

Product Description

Peter van der Linden's best-selling Just Java has helped thousands of experienced programmers get off to a flying start with Java. Now, it's better than ever. Fully updated for Java 2 JDK 1.3, it's the only concise guide to both the core Java language and the fundamentals of Java server-side programming! Just Java, Fifth Edition organizes Java into five areas: the core language; key libraries such as I/O, networking, and collections; server-side Java; client-side Java; and enterprise Java. Peter van der Linden presents a "straight-to-the-point" introduction to Java object-oriented programming; then covers the crucial information developers need to build working code right away. The second half of the book covers key server-side libraries and programming techniques, including sockets, servlets, JSP, XML, Java database access with JDBC, JavaBeans, and security. The accompanying CD-ROM brings together an extraordinary collection of Java developers' resources: an open-source relational database, the Usenet Java Programmers FAQ and Glossary, a complete servlet system and database inquiry program, sample Java games, links to the Web's best Java resources, and all the book's code examples.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 1136 pages
• Publisher: Pearson Education; 5 edition (December 21, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130320722
• ISBN-13: 978-0130320728
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.9 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (67 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,253,348 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great For Intermediate Level But Not For Beginners, February 10, 2003

By A Customer

OK, for starters I am not a professional programmer. I do know the rudiments of a few programming languages (VB, C++, Java, Tcl, Linux Shell Script, JavaScript, etc.) and enjoy writing automated test scripts at work. I also like the process of learning new languages and writing short programs with them in my spare time.

"Just Java 2" is a great read and one of my favorite programming books (and I have stacks of them, some good, some bad, many so-so).

However, if you are completely new to programming "Just Java 2" is (probably) not the book for you. Instead, get a beginner level book (or two) on learning Java and programming basics and work your way through them.

Then, when you know the basics, sit down with "Just Java 2" in a bookstore and re-read Peter Van Der Linden's explanations of a few of the subjects that your beginner-level Java programming books tried to teach you ...especially subjects that you "kind of know" but wish you understood better. Chances are that this book's short yet lucid explanations will periodically set off little light bulbs of sudden understanding over your head and bring new clarity to your grasp of the Java language. It did for me.

I think this is a great intermediate level Java text and a clearly understandable introduction to more advanced subjects like the JDBC, Servlets and Java Beans.

As for other Java books, we all have our own learning styles and likes/dislikes but here's some of what I've found in my quest to teach myself Java.

1) I have personally found many of the O'Reilly books (on a range of subjects, not only Java) to be unsatisfyingly terse.

2) Ivor Horton's "Beginning Java 2" provides a lot of detail but in a long-winded, scattershot, myopic, stream-of-consciousness style that make it difficult to separate key kernels of knowledge from what amounts to background noise. In other words, the cloudy writing, apparent lack of coherent editing and poor formatting (e.g many unlabelled tables) tended to confuse me as much as educate me and turned attempts to later go back and locate and quickly reread key topics into long "Where's Waldo"-like wadings through "deep text".

3) Dietel & Dietel's "Java: How To Program" at the outset offers the Java novice clear and explicit line by line explanations of sample Java programs. However, about half way through the book that style really bogs way down in wordy detail and becomes tiresome as topics become more advanced. Still, it's not a bad book for an absolute beginner.

Anyway, that's my two cents.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent guide to learning Java..., November 7, 2004

By	Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Just Java(TM) 2 (6th Edition) (Paperback)

When I was first learning Java, one of the most useful books I used was Just Java 2. The 6th edition of Just Java 2 by Peter van der Linden (Prentice-Hall) continues to be a quality resource.

Chapter List: What Can Java Do For Me?; Introducing Objects; Primitive Types, Wrappers, and Boxing; Statements and Comments; OOP Part 2 - Constructors and Visibility; Static, Final, and Enumerated Types; Names, Operators, and Accuracy; More OOP - Extending Classes; Arrays; Exceptions; Interfaces; Nested Classes; Doing Several Things at Once: Threads; Advanced Thread Topics; Explanation <Generics>; Collections; Simple Input Output; Advanced Input Output; Regular Expressions; GUI Basics and Event Handling; JFC and the Swing Package; Containers, Layouts, and SWT Loose Ends; Relational Databases and SQL; JDBC; Networking in Java; Servlets and JSP; XML and Java; Web Services at Google and Amazon; Downloading Java; Powers of Two Table; Codesets; Index

This 6th edition covers all the recent additions in Java from J2SE 5.0, so you can get this book knowing you'll have the most up-to-date information. The thing I appreciate most about this book is the tone and readability of what is one of the most complete tutorial style books on Java on the market. The tone is conversational, so you're not struggling through dry text. With dashes of humor and sidebars that cover interesting history and stories of IT significance, the book comes close to being one of the few learning guides that could almost be read cover to cover as an interesting read regardless of whether you work the examples or not. The servlet and JSP chapter at the end, along with the XML chapter, is more high-level than the rest of the book. You could buy entire volumes that deal specifically with those concepts. So if that's the main reason you're buying the book, you could do better. Of course, if you bought the book for the last two chapters only, I'd question why you did so in the first place... :-)

This is an excellent book that spans the gap between hard-core tutorial and pure entertainment. I can't imagine too many people who wouldn't enjoy and benefit from this text if they want to learn Java.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid introductory walkthrough, January 5, 2005

By	Jack D. Herrington "engineer and author" (Silicon Valley, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Just Java(TM) 2 (6th Edition) (Paperback)

This is a tour guide through the main Java APIs. It starts with a language walkthrough then goes on through the basics of objects and onto the APIs. Sections like XML, JDBC and others are covered at a fairly high level. The basics are covered by using example problem solutions. There isn't much for reference, but you wouldn't expect it from this book.

The coverage of the new features in the language, especially generics, is well integrated. I suppose the time of the dedicated Java 1.5 features book is over and now the new versions of the Java introductory books will include all of these new features.

A solid all-in-one walkthrough of the Java language and the basic APIs. Though myself I would buy two books. One on the Java language only, and another on the foundation classes.