|
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I Cant Over Recommend This Book, March 9, 2004
I've been developing software for 28 years and using Java for 10 years. However, I've never developed a web application. I needed a crash course on all things web and Java. On my shelf I have about two feet of new books on a variety of Java topics including three books on Java servlets and JSPs. Almost without exception all of these books make these mistakes:- Assume the reader knows too much and in some cases assumes the reader is already familiar with the topic - Takes a complex subject and makes it more complex by taking many digressions, explaining something without explaining why and referring to technologies not explained in the book. - Is loaded with undefined acronyms - Has a "smirky" attitude as though there is some private joke - Only shows code snippets without providing the complete context allowing for your own testing - Doesn't take a building block approach so that you learn the topic step by step Murach's book makes none of these mistakes. I think all technical "how to" or tutorial books should follow Murach's format. There is one concept for each two pages. The left page explains the concept with clearly written text and the right page shows the example that demonstrates the concept. Each concept is built on concepts already learned in previous pages so that if you have understood all the previous concepts you easily understand the next concept. In this book the only assumption is that you're familiar with Java but not necessarily an expert. Along the way unimportant details are identified or there is an indication that the detail will be explained in a later section. If you read the book from start to finish you will not be confused at any point. Because there is an assumption that the reader only knows Java some basic topics such as HTML and the web paradigm are explained. The good news is that these topics are clearly identified and if the reader is already familiar with the topic they can be skipped without fear of missing something important and required for future sections. Aside from the format and process of this book there is the spirit of the book. It is clear the authors care very much about whether their book will help the reader become conversant on the topic. They act as a technical sherpa and are never condescending. I believe this is the only book a beginning Java servlet and JSP programmer will need. I'm not a servlet and JSP expert but I'm guessing this may be the only Java servlet and JSP book you'll ever need. My only disappointment in Murach books is that they don't have more of their books on more recent technologies such as Jakarta Struts or Enterprise Java Beans. It seems that most of their books are on legacy technologies (has Java servlets and JSPs become legacy?).
|
by Doug Lowe
by Andrea Steelman
by Brent Michalski
by Alan Dennis
by Joel Murach
