Java has caught on quickly in the programming world–and in the publishing world. As of early November, 217 books about Java or JavaScript were in print or on their way. (Only 48 cover the O.J. case; a mere 21 celebrate the Bulls.)
Programmers seeking to move to Java can take some of the many courses being offered by Sun Microsystems and others in the Chicago area; those going it alone may want to seek out a few of these books.
Java is a very young programming language, so most of the Java books are geared to those new to it. The logical place is start is with the series of Java books that SunSoft (part of Sun Microsystems, which invented Java) and Prentice-Hall are developing together, all with accompanying CD-ROMs. The only problem is that the first four of the series have too-similar titles. Here’s how to tell them apart:
“Instant Java” (by John A. Pew) you don’t need if you’ve read this far. It’s for those new to the Web, with little or no programming experience.
“Java By Example” (by Jerry R. Jackson and Alan L. McClellan) has much of the same information as Instant Java but adds a rigorous do-as-we-do tutorial.
“Just Java” (by Peter van der Linden) is ideal if you’re new to object-oriented programming, and includes some crucial high-level topics like what Java libraries can do for (and to) your network.
“Core Java” (by Gary Cornell and Cay S. Horstmann) is by far the most high-end of the four initial books, geared for programmers coming to Java with experience in C/C++ or Visual Basic. This is the most challenging volume of the initial bunch.
Just out this month is a fifth volume in the series, “Graphic Java” (by David M. Geary and Alan L. McClellan, $39.95, includes a CD-ROM that works on Windows 95/NT, Macintosh and Solaris systems), and it is the most useful for experienced programmers, especially those who have mastered the basics of Java.
The 600-page book focuses on the Java Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT), the parts of Java that let programmers build graphical user interfaces into their programs.
When learning any programming language, a great way to speed the trip from borderline-competent to guru is to learn from what others have done. Check out Chicago Tribune High-Tech’s Java links page and discover the richest repository of top-notch Java resources on the Web.
Also on the Web site, you will find reviews of four more Java books (“Cafe Programming FrontRunner,” “Teach Yourself Java in 21 Days,” “Teach Yourself Java in Cafe in 21 Days” and “Java Sourcebook”), as well as examples of the sample applets available in the books.
