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Search in Book Reviews

The ACCU passes on review copies of computer books to its members for them to review. The result is a large, high quality collection of book reviews by programmers, for programmers. Currently there are 1949 reviews in the database and more every month.
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Title:
Java Programming An IS Perspective
Author:
Jan Harrington
ISBN:
0 471 19665 7
Publisher:
Wiley
Pages:
460
Price:
£24-95
Reviewer:
Brian Bramer
Subject:
java
Appeared in:
10-6
The use of Java for implementing business software is becoming very important and many IS and MIS courses are either considering its use or have already adopted it. This text is aimed at IS/MIS students with some prior programming experience, e.g. Pascal, COBOL, C, etc.

Chapter one introduces OO concepts (discussing how real world examples can be organised into objects) ending up by analysing and designing a simple office supply inventory system. Following chapters overview the Java language, the AWT, arrays and Vectors, hash tables, applets, I/O (including sequential and random file access), graphics and threads. Each chapter ends with a summary and exercises. The are lots of business oriented example classes and complete programs.

I think a major problem with this book is the assumption of prior programming experience, e.g. many IS/MIS courses are adopting Java as a first programming language (or possibly following Visual Basic). A few years ago Java books could assume a background in C/C++, Pascal, etc. Today an introductory Java text should assume no programming experience. There are a number of class diagrams,all of which use a notation I do not recognise. I would have thought that a modern book would have used a standard design notation such as OMT or UML. For a book intended for a second programming module it has major omissions, e.g. it does not mention networking, Java Commerce API (the Java Wallet), Java Security API or JDBC (Java Database Connectivity) - one would soon need another book covering these topics. Worth looking at if one is teaching Java to an IS/MIS course if only for the wide range of example programs.