Library Journal
Cadenhead's Teach Yourself Java 2 in 24 Hours is a definite beginner's book, a self-tutorial in 24 one-hour chapters. The guides on networking, Threads (the ability of Java to multitask by allowing for multiple processes and actions at the same time), and Swing (a powerful Java interface package for visual design) are for advanced Java programmers but will fit well within most libraries. Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
Sams Teach Yourself Java 2 in 24 Hours
by Rogers Cadenhead
Revised and updated edition of the leading Java tutorial for beginners with no previous programming experience. The book's short, simple one-hour chapters are easy to understand and they carefully step the reader through the fundamentals of Java programming. This edition has been updated to cover the new Java SDK version 1.3. Readers love this book—they say it
Overview
Revised and updated edition of the leading Java tutorial for beginners with no previous programming experience. The book's short, simple one-hour chapters are easy to understand and they carefully step the reader through the fundamentals of Java programming. This edition has been updated to cover the new Java SDK version 1.3. Readers love this book—they say it explains Java better than any other book they've seen, and that it's very clear, well-written, and interesting to read. They even appreciate the author's somewhat unique sense of humor.
Teaches Java first as a programming language—short, simple, one-hour chapters are ideal for the beginner.
Revised and updated to cover the new SDK 1.3, and to reflect contemporary Java programming needs.
Editorial Reviews
Booknews
Cadenhead (a programmer and writer) writes clearly and with great wit, as though he were interacting with a college pal, making this primer on Java 2 an enjoyable read. The goal is to teach programming to anyone with rudimentary computer skills, described as those who can produce a decent resume, or design a web page. The chapters, designed to take an hour each, lead the reader through the basics of programming, the use of graphical user interface, interactive web programs, and creating multimedia programs using color, sound, and animation. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Product Details
- ISBN-13:
- 9780672316302
- Publisher:
- Sams
- Publication date:
- 02/18/1999
- Series:
- Sams Teach Yourself Series
- Edition description:
- Older Edition
- Pages:
- 450
- Product dimensions:
- 7.42(w) x 9.12(h) x 1.08(d)
Read an Excerpt
Chapter 1: Becoming a Programmer
Computer programming is insanely difficult. It requires a four-year degree in computer science, thousands of dollars in computer hardware and software, a keen analytical intellect, the patience of Job, and a strong liking for caffeinated drinks. If you're a programming novice, this is probably what you've heard about computer programming. Aside from the part about caffeine, all of the rumors are greatly exaggerated.Programming is a lot easier than most people think, although there are several reasons why you might believe otherwise:
- Computer programmers have been telling people for years that programming is hard. This belief makes it easier for us to find highpaying jobs (or so I've heard) and gives us more leeway to goof off during business hours.
- Computer programming manuals are often written in a language that only a Scrabble player could appreciate. Strange acronyms like OOP, RAD, COM, and MUMPS are used frequently along with newly invented jargon like instantiation, bytecode, and makefile.
- Many computer programming languages have been available only with software packages costing $200 or more, which is a lot of cabbage.
Because of the growth of the Internet and other factors, this is a great time to learn programming. Useful programming tools are being made available at low cost (or no cost), often as downloads from World Wide Web sites. Thousands of programmers are distributing their work under "open source" licenses so people can examine how the programs were written, correct errors, and add their own improvements.
The goal of this book is to teach programming to the person who hasnever tried to program before, or the person who tried programming but hated it with an intense passion. The English language will be used as much as possible instead of jargon and obscure acronyms, and all new programming terms will be thoroughly explained as they are introduced.
If I've succeeded, you will finish Sams Teach Yourself Java 2 in 24 Hours with enough programming skill to be a danger to yourself and others. You'll be able to write programs, dive into other programming books with more confidence, and learn programming languages more easily. You also will have developed skills with Java, the most exciting programming language to be introduced in a decade.
The first hour of this book provides some introductory material about programming and gives you instructions on how to set up your computer so you can write Java programs. The following topics will be covered:
- Choosing which programming language to learn first
- What Java is
- Using programs to boss your computer around
- How programs work
- How program errors (called hugs) are fixed
- Acquiring the free Java 2 Software Development Kit
- Installing the Kit
- Getting ready to write programs
Choosing a Language
As you might have surmised at this point, computer programming is not as hard as it's cracked up to be. If you're comfortable enough with a computer to create a nice-looking resume, balance a checkbook with software such as Intuit Quicken, or create your own home page on the Web, you can write programs.
The key to learning how to program is to start with the right language. The programming language you choose often depends on the tasks you want the computer to accomplish...
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