Title: Java Programming For Dummies (2nd ed)

 

Author: Donald & David Koosis
ISBN: 0-7645-0141-0
Cost: £28.99
Disk: CD enclosed

 

The title for this one should have “on the Web” added. This is a book aimed at the web user part of the Java market. Of course, there is a CD containing the Java Dev Kit (MAC, WIN95, Sun). There are also 15 sample applets.

 

You will need a web browser and an internet connection to get the best out of this book but they are not essential.

 

This book is in the same mould as all the other “Dummies” books. For those not familiar with the Dummies series the book assumes you can turn on a computer and may have heard of VB, C++ or Pascal. The style is friendly and conversational. There are plenty of pictures and Icons to mark tips. To give you some idea among the Icons are: “Techno Terms”, “Java Jive”, “Technical Stuff” and “Mind Of The Programmer”!

 

One of the useful things is that it will tell you how to do the little things that the other books assume you know. You would be surprised how many things “everyone knows” are only know by a few and the rest are too proud to ask [because everyone knows]. However I did not find it patronising.

 

This is not a “complete reference” and eventually you will need another reference book but as a primer it is very good as long as you like the style. It manages to cover all the things you need to get started and advances with little steps. (You feel a sense of accomplishment completing each page.) The sample applets can be adapted to get off to a flying start. Despite its web bias HTML is not required! Well, not very much and it is simply explained where it is used.

 

This book is probably too simple for most (I hesitate to say all) ACCU members but for that non programming son or daughter or friend down the road who wants to do a little more than surf this is probably the book to start with. I like it.