What is this book about? This book is a comprehensive introduction to the Java programming language, updated thoroughly (more than 35% new and updated) for the latest SDK 1.5 release. This book shows readers how to build real-world Java applications using the Java SDK. No previous programming experience is required. The author uses numerous step-by-step programming examples to guide readers through the ins and outs of Java development. In addition to fully covering new features of SDK 1.5, such as generic types, the author has also added new chapters on Java database programming with JDBC and Java programming with XML.
User review
A great start to master Java
`Beginning Java 2` is a well written book, over 1400 pages, that takes you by the hand and teaches you Java in a structured manner. In 25 chapters, it handles topic after topic in the most natural way starting at the very bottom and then building upwards. The chapters nearly all follow the same structure: a quick intro on what the chapter is about, a fair chunk of text explaining the topic at hand, interleaved with concise examples demonstrating the mechanism in source code in combination with clear walk troughs, and of course a summary and exercises.
`Beginning Java 2` is thorough. It really takes 750 pages before there is sufficient foundation to start topics on windows and GUIs. But, as windows and GUIs are heavily dependent on library code written by professionals, understanding the base concepts of Java 2 is really worthwhile.
Ivor Horton's `Beginning Java 2` is pleasant to read. The style is light, it addresses the reader as a fine class room teacher would do. I've read major parts on the couch, just like bed time stories after a hard day's work.
I was very happily surprised with Ivor Horton's book `Beginning Java 2`. I'd tried to learn Java before, and made some attempts using Java-in-24-hours style books and thin tutorials from the Internet. That didn't work for me. Such material brings you really up to the level `monkey-see, monkey-do`, without providing any oversight or the relation between concepts. `Beginning Java 2` allows me to make a real start with Java.
In summary: this is a great book to learn Java.
User review
NOT An Intro to Programming
Ivor Horton's book is very good at explaining some of the certain features of Java and providing examples of how to implement something you might want to do, such as writing to a file. Even though he starts out with variables, loops, and conditions and such, he moves very quickly and doesn't give a whole lot of explanation, so you had better be either intelligent enough to understand as you read or already have had a strong foundation in important Java concepts. Learn the OO basics like Polymorphism, inheritance, extension, objects, etc,,.and then pick up this book to learn the Java features. Things will make a lot more sense.
User review
Ivor Horton's Beginning Java 2, JDK 5 Edition
Great beginning book for anyone who wants to learn Java. Teaches the syntax of Java, along with the basics to programming. Book includes program examples with sections explaining how the programs work. Excellent source for beginning, as well as advanced, programmers.
User review
Excellent beginner's Java tutorial
As the title says: `Beginning,,.`, so the experts that wrote a review shouldnt be angry. The author explains every term he uses [excellent teaching practice!], does not assume that you should `of course` `know` this,,. Naturally, if you are an experieneced progammer this book may be too long, but alas: read faster in this case.
Four stars because of (some) mistakes. Otherwise 5*.
User review
HORRIBLE Editing - Great Book!, Highly Recommended
This is a great book, and the longest that I have ever read. Ivor's teaching approach, although frustrating and daunting, effectively teaches the language concepts you need to begin programming. You will find yourself adding code to an example and redoing it later and redoing it later,,. each time learning a tiny bit about design and some about the Java language. The big example (a drawing program called Sketcher) is developed over several chapters and is used to demonstrate all sorts of language features including a good intro into Swing. Even though I feel that this is a fairly solid book that I would recommend, I am only giving it 1 star to bias my vote and communicate a message to Wrox: Hire at least one book editor that has some quality standards. The book is fraught with mistakes (most don't appear in the Errata as of 2/16/06).
