Best Book to Learn Java?

Forbiddenbiker

Forbiddenbiker

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Adam
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Hi Adam!

I'm not here that often but I'm a Senior Member on a general computer help forum, and am doing a City & Guilds ITQ Level 3 (A level) course at my local technical college. In a previous life, I was a Modern Languages graduate, trainee accountant, EFL teacher, Librarian etc., etc;)!

I'm very interested in Web Design, and would highly recommend the Sams book! I have Sams Teach Yourself HTML and CSS in 24 Hours. It's a bit optimistic, but they are excellent books! I don't know the Java book specifically, but the Sams book that I've got is definitely the best of the bunch, and I have quite a few!

I like the Dummies books too, but the Sams series get down to the nitty-gritty in a no-nonsense, very well-organised way.

Just a thought as I happened to be looking in! Good luck to your son:)!
 
Forbiddenbiker said:
Hi Guys, my son is half way through A levels and would like some books on learning Java.

Anybody got any suggestions of the best book to learn from?
He has done a little introduction at GSCE and passed the level with a B.

These are three of his picks....any good?

Java-Dummies-Barry-Burd

Beginning-Programming-Java-Dummies-Barry

Sams-Teach-Yourself-Hours-Yourself.


Any advice about the best way to learn Java would be most welcome.

thanks.
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Hi Adam,

My two pence would be the following simply because I am a huge believer that learning should be both fun and enjoyable.

I like the Head First Labs books Linky

Also check out www.lynda.com. Here you should find loads on javascript and some others too.

Good luck.
 
The for dummies programming books are generally very good. They're fun and usually quite logical.

There is also a good environment called BlueJ ( http://www.bluej.org/ ) which helps you learn java in an easier way. It's a lot easier to pick up than Eclipse which is Sun's own environment.
 
The for dummies programming books are generally very good. They're fun and usually quite logical.

There is also a good environment called BlueJ ( http://www.bluej.org/ ) which helps you learn java in an easier way. It's a lot easier to pick up than Eclipse which is Sun's own environment.
 
Eltheza said:
Hi Adam!

I'm very interested in Web Design, and would highly recommend the Sams book! I have Sams Teach Yourself HTML and CSS in 24 Hours. It's a bit optimistic, but they are excellent books! I don't know the Java book specifically, but the Sams book that I've got is definitely the best of the bunch, and I have quite a few!
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Just had a look on Amazon, as I'm trying to learn Java as well, they look quite useful. Thanks for the tip
 
That’s all just great advice, thanks very much all of you..:)

I’ve sent him the link to this thread. I’ll let you know which he goes for and how he gets on.

He has got like a month before university applications ..its either Commuter science and coding or Electronics…hes still not sure, who is ever.

He wants to spend a few evenings getting obsessed about code, just to see if he will like it as much as he’s pondering. …
Java and C++ are on the list, although after visiting Queen Mary’s University open day yesterday who concentrate more on Java in the first years then one choice of NEXT language up based on C++. I think… (forgive me for being confused here)

(y)
 
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chouglez said:
Hi Adam,

My two pence would be the following simply because I am a huge believer that learning should be both fun and enjoyable.

I like the Head First Labs books Linky

Also check out www.lynda.com. Here you should find loads on javascript and some others too.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Java and Javascript are not the same.

Java is a programming language, Javascript is a scripting language used on web pages.

.
 
The best programming books I've ever read for any programming language have been in the O'Reilly series. They may not be the best for an absolute beginner but they have a wide range of useful information presented in a very clear manner. Link to their Java section below.

http://oreilly.com/java/index.html

This is a fantastic general reference to Java: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Java-Nutshe...7736/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1317024852&sr=8-2

And this is the Learning Java title: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Learning-Ja...8732/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317024852&sr=8-1

I found the hardest thing to understand with Java was object orientation rather than the language itself, though I came to it from a background in procedural coding. My advice would be to get the Nutshell book; I haven't programmed in Java for years yet I've still got a copy on my shelf :)

Best bet would be to get your son down to Waterstones and have a look through a few books to find out what's best for him. The Dummies and 24-hour guides can be good introductory texts but I found them limited once I'd gone past the basics.
 
Dont know if theyve been posted already but I rate these books
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Head-First-...=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1317110182&sr=1-3
Ive been programming c++/c# for a living for donkeys years and Ive found these to be informative, easy to read and even fun, not the usual dry old text books.
Ive got 4 from that series. Highly recommended.

Edit: the Head First also do a Object Oriented book, may be worth considering if thats part of your sons course.

Edit2: some of the reviews on amazon from beginners say they find it a frustrating book (Java one) - so may not be as good as the ones Ive got. Prob more of a book for someone who has already programmed in a different language and is moving over.
 
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Have a google for "Thinking In Java" by Bruce Eckle. You can download the whole book for free, along with all of the source code. Might be a better bet than paying for a book if he's not sure which way to go.
Get that, a copy of Eclipse IDE (www.eclipse.org) and the JDK and he's away.
The Sun (well, Oracle now) java tutorial is also good and a available free online. It has the basics and specialist parts for stuff like UI, multithreading etc...

It's far more important at the beginning to get his head around the concept of Object Oriented coding than the semantics of the language though, so he should probably concentrate on that first.
 
It'd be worth concocting himself a little project idea and trying to see that through to start with. Otherwise it's such a large topic that he could just find himself chopping from pillar to post and not really achieving anything.
 
Sounds good TB, Ive let him know to look again. (y)


Jim.R said:
It'd be worth concocting himself a little project idea and trying to see that through to start with. Otherwise it's such a large topic that he could just find himself chopping from pillar to post and not really achieving anything.
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Good idea, so I asked him and the project he’s chosen (in-fact its his A level course work) is the convertion and adaptation of table top roll playing game called IRPG ( Iiosai role playing game )

His plan is to digitise/code only the battling and scoring parts of that game, into a java simulator working with java dice rolls and modifications thereof to provide the same game play and/or adaptations thereof digitally.

Knowing Dan he has chosen a particularly liked and learned realm of tactics and battle history. in gaming ...

What do any of you think … a good project, or limiting, or excessive?
 
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I'm not familiar with the game, but it sounds like a good plan (y)
Maybe best starting with the dice rolling part with a simple command line interface initially.
If he'd like someone to cast an eye over his code once he's got something up and running, I'd be happy to take a look.
 
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Jim.R said:
Have a google for "Thinking In Java" by Bruce Eckle. You can download the whole book for free, along with all of the source code.
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I'd also recommend this, Thinking in Java was helpful when I was a beginner.
 
+1 to "Thinking in Java" - it's absolutely must-read-and-keep-on-the-desk for anyone wanting to become a java programmer. And forget all this ".... for dummies" rubbish, don't waste your money and time
 
Cheers for the nod guys. (y)

Hes got that now also.


Jim.R said:
I'm not familiar with the game, but it sounds like a good plan (y)
Maybe best starting with the dice rolling part with a simple command line interface initially.
If he'd like someone to cast an eye over his code once he's got something up and running, I'd be happy to take a look.
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Thanks Jim thats very good of you to offer. :)
Hes enjoying the Sams in 24 hours book at the mo, hes half way through the fourth hour. Not so keen on the dummies books he says their just not as welcoming, good yes, but not so easy to get on board with.
 
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