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Sams teach yourself Java in 21 days (7th ed.)
Cadenhead R., Sams, Indianapolis, IN, 2016. 720 pp. Type: Book (978-0-672337-10-9)
Date Reviewed: Jan 30 2017

The claim that a person can learn any programming language in 21 days needs to be put into perspective. To address this concern, the famed artificial intelligence researcher Peter Norvig [1] wrote a strong essay regarding any “get rich (in knowledge) quick” scheme. He argues that to acquire the proper understanding and skills of any modern programming language, the discipline demands ten years of deliberate practice. Yet, as educators who have taught Java for a number of years, we would strongly recommend this book for many classes that require the Java programming language. How does one explain the discrepancy?

Herein lies the distinction. If one starts out his knowledge quest knowing nothing about programming, then Norvig is right that it is nearly impossible to properly learn programming in three weeks’ time. Even still, such a person would get an appreciation for programming by reading this text. However, by better understanding the readership of books such as this one, it will be clear why they are so popular and helpful to the reader. Simply put, these books are masterful at condensing the bulk of knowledge and features regarding a given programming language (this 7th edition covers Java version 8) into a single volume that starts off with the basic concepts and concludes with the reader empowered to develop desktop applications and a number of phone apps on her own.

The book is divided into weeks (parts), each containing seven chapters; it includes five appendices. The first week concentrates on beginner material classically covered in a first-semester programming course. The second week focuses on data structures and graphical user interfaces (GUIs) using the Swing set. The third (last) week rounds off the fundamental knowledge with discussions on input/output, inner and outer classes, and having the software access the Internet. It also provides advanced technology (beyond what is covered in typical programming course curricula) such as JDBC database connectivity with Sun Derby, processing RSS feeds, and Extensible Markup Language (XML) hierarchy files.

The most advanced chapter is the final chapter 21, which develops apps using the NetBeans integrated development environment (IDE) for an Android-based phone (information for using Google Android Studio is also provided). Each of the 21 (day) lessons is self-contained so you can learn at your own pace. Each chapter provides extra material to help the reader integrate the topics. This includes a Q&A section providing answers to typical questions, a short pop quiz with answers, advanced questions that could appear in a certification licensing exam, and programming exercises whose solutions appear on the book’s website.

The five appendices are quite useful. Appendix A demonstrates the NetBeans IDE to the reader, a free platform that Oracle provides for the user. Appendix B covers the author’s website for the book. There, one can find any corrections to the text, sample files containing working versions of the programs coded in the book, and solutions to end-of-chapter problems. Appendix C is a critical treatment of an error that programmers can be faced with when developing an Android app. This involves the Intel Hardware Accelerated Execution Manager (HAXM). This appendix shows the proper installation of the patch necessary to get these apps to work.

Many classical programmers prefer the command line. They use the original Java Development Kit (JDK) directly. NetBeans users do not have to install this software; it is already embedded in the IDE. The next appendix, D, describes how to deal with path issues (CLASSPATH environmental variables), a common hindrance for running Java programs from the command line. The final appendix, E, covers general programming with the JDK.

In a nutshell, this book is a must-read for students who need a current Java reference or for practitioners interested in brushing up on their Java programming skills.

More reviews about this item: Amazon

Reviewers:  Minette CarlR. Goldberg Review #: CR145034 (1704-0198)
1) Norvig, P. Teach yourself programming in ten years, http://norvig.com/21-days.html.
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