Java and the Java Virtual Machine: Definition, Verification, Validation

Provides a high-level description, together with a mathematical and an experimental analysis, of Java and of the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), including a standard compiler of Java programs to JVM code and the security critical bytecode verifier component of the JVM. CD-ROM included.

User review
These are REAL scientists, not IT guys,,.
This is by far the most sophisticated software book since the Cold War. Without the Soviets to keep western engineers and scientists on their toes, IT is a alot of marketing buzzwords.

These are real scientists,,.a breath a fresh air.



User review
Plainly Boring
It just shows an implementation for an old Java specification (I think JDK1 or JDK1.1) in a weird language called ASM. This ASM is simply a glorified programming language, even not one of the most advanced: haskell, for instance, is much more clearer. You /could/ think about it as a model for java but then it would be useless because of its intricacies and its gigantic size.

User review
rigorous, interesting examples, great software!
this book is one of a kind, among all the java books on the market. it breaks the java language into 5 (progressive) layers, and gives the abstract syntax, static semantic (type constraints), dynamic semantic (interpretation), and complitation rules of each layer. This approach is effective, mathematically rigorous, and believe or not, fun to read!

as most of the PL books with formal flavor, the notations take some time to get use to. but the rewarding is worth the effort: you get a very clear picture of language itself. the examples are quite interesting, and the software on the CD does a superb job animating the intrepretation of java programs.

all in all, a very good (academic) book, perfect for computer scientists or CS major graduate student interested in PL, but probably not for everyday programmers.