[114] in java-interest
SUMMARY: Books on Java/C++/OOP
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Markus Buchhorn)
Wed May 24 11:19:01 1995
Date: Wed, 24 May 1995 09:18:51 +1000
From: Markus Buchhorn <markus@octavia.anu.edu.au>
To: java-interest@java.Eng.Sun.COM
G'day y'all
This is the summary that I owe this list. Many thanks to all who
responded ! I've left in the full responses from everybody to show
suggestions in context. I also got a few requests for a summary, so we've
probably got a fair few lurkers here :-).
At this stage my workload has shot through the roof, so I'm not going
to be able to try most of these for a little while yet :-(
If I get any more responses I will add those to this file and
put it on the Web somewhere.
Again, Many thanks all.
Cheers,
Markus
---- original request ----------------------------
> Here I sit drooling over Java applets, am busting with ideas
> for cool apps (well, one or two) - and I can barely make out
> the language :-).
>
> What would people recommend is a good book or two to study
> to be able to write Java apps ? Something generically OO programming,
> or perhaps a good intro to C++, or ... ? My background is Fortran/C
> so I've got some catching up to do.
>
> Many thanks for any and all suggestions.
Responses:
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From: kwalrath@scndprsn.Eng.Sun.COM (Kathy Walrath)
G'day, mate--
I've never been able to stay awake through an OO book.
The comp.object FAQ seems like it might have a good
overview, though. There's an HTML version at:
http://iamwww.unibe.ch/~scg/OOinfo/FAQ/
--Kathy
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From: pvanrijn@mail.tpp.com
Hiya Markus. I am in the same boat, and I bought C++ for Dummies and
the Borland C++ compiler. I have a background in Pascal and C, and I
am finding C++ for Dummies to be a real help. After I get done with
that I am going to move on to a more complex tutorial in C++
programming. From there, there only resource available for learning
java (to my knowledge) is the language specification, which can be
downloaded from http://java.sun.com
Hope this helps
-Philip Metting van Rijn
Bancroft-Whitney Law Publishers
pvanrijn@bancroft.com
http://www.bancroft.com
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From: jeffpk@netcom.com (Jeff Kesselman)
Whiel I COULD suggest a good C+ book or two I won't. I started with C++
and have used it porperly and successfully for many years and was if
anything MORE confused because of it when I encountered a "true" oop--
which is something totally different. There are some clasics on Object
Oriented Design (a hotly debated subject) which I'm sure SOMEONE out there
can give a reference to (anyone? anyone?) What I foudn the most helpful,
though, was just examining sample code and starting some simple projects.
At some point, the struggling stops and the right mindset (paradigm) kicks
in...
JK
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: madhu.surendranath@bt-sys.bt.co.uk (Madhu Surendranath)
Hi Markus,
I've just read your message about getting into Java on the Java
Interest WWW page. Well, I recommend that you at least learnt the
basics of C++ (classes and stuff), for that I used "Teach yourself C++"
by Herbert Schildt, published by Osborne McGraw-Hill. Theere maybe
better books around, but that's the one I used (only book available to
me at the time).
As you have a background in C, this shouldn't be a problem. Up until
three weeks ago, I did not know C++ or how to program in Java, but now
am writing small applets! Also, look at all the applets around on the
Sun and other sites, I found tis a great way to get into the Java
language.
Once you have the basics, use the on-line Docs, not as good as if they
were printed but they will have to do for now.
Hope that helps, bye, Madhu.
+---+-------------------------+------------------------------------------+--+
| _/_/_/_/ _/_/_/ _/_/_/_/ | Madhu Surendranath |
| _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ | Information Visualisation, Systems Research |
| _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/ _/ _/ | BT Labs, Martlesham Heath, Ipswich, UK. |
| _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/_/ | "Don't you just love it when a plan |
| | comes together ?! ...... " |
+--+--------------------------+------------------------------------------+--+
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From: "Jerry Morrison" <jerry.morrison@3do.com>
This reference is from the Objective-C FAQ. It's approachable, well-written,
and uses clear examples. I skipped the chapter on learning OOP but it looks
as thorough as the rest of the book:
NeXTSTEP Object Oriented Programming and the Objective C Language.
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Reading, Massachusetts, 1993.
ISBN 0-201-63251-9.
abstract: This book describes the Objective-C language as implemented
for NeXTSTEP. It's a good first-read to get to learn Objective-C.
This one is from the same source, but I haven't read it:
Timothy Budd: An Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming.
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Reading, Massachusetts.
ISBN 0-201-54709-0.
abstract: An intro to the topic of OOP, as well as a comparison
of C++, Objective-C, Smalltalk, and Object Pascal.
You can find this 10-Minute Introduction to Objective-C on the Web:
http://www.geom.umn.edu/docs/W3Kit/Overview/ObjectiveC.html
Also this longer introduction to Object Oriented Programming in Objective-C,
including class notes from Purdue University:
http://www.cs.indiana.edu/classes/c304/oop-intro.html
Java uses C++ terms but in fact is more like Objective C. Objective C is a
concise addition to C. Much simpler than C++, more dynamic, and not full of
pitfalls. A nice evolutionary step from C. (It does not address Java aims
like object code portability.)
Or play with Smalltalk. It's object-oriented "all the way down", and fun.
Avoid C++ books unless you're going to program in C++.
Jerry
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From: Ken Lee <kenl@nafohq.hp.com>
Here's one I like:
Object Oriented Software Construction
Bertrand Meyer, the inventor of the Eifiel language and programming enviroment,
shows various techniques on how to make the right generalization, variance/
covariance, and parametrization in object oriented software construction.
In this book, he coined the term "programming by contract" and demonstrated
how that can be done with the Eifiel language support.
Kenneth Lee,
Central Station, Inc.
[ I am not an employee for Hewlett Packard and I don't speak for the company ]
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From: "A. Scottedward Hodel" <A.S.Hodel@Eng.Auburn.EDU>
[...MB]
I am nearly done teaching a course on C++ programming where most students
(seniors) "couldn't program their way out of a paper bag." The text used
is Deitel and Deitel, "C++: How to Program," published by Prentice-Hall.
Both the class and I think that it is a good book, both as a learning
text and as a reference. It's not perfect, but it's pretty good. Lots
of good examples, "programming tips," and "common programming errors."
Once C++ is "learned," then the reference materials will become much more
valuable. Bear in mind that C++ isn't an ANSI standard yet, and so
some mild differences will be found between compilers.
A S Hodel Dept. of Elect Eng, 200 Broun Hall Auburn Univ, AL 36849 (334)8441854
FAX:-1809 http://www.eng.auburn.edu/~scotte scotte@eng.auburn.edu
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Markus Buchhorn, Parallel Computing Research Facility
email = markus@octavia.anu.edu.au snail = CISR, I Block, OAA, ANU
Australian National University, Canberra, 0200 , Australia.
[International = +61 6, Australia = 06] [Phone = 2492930, Fax = 2490747]
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