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Java Coffee Break

Spring 1999 Java Book Reviews

Dateline: 6/6/1999

With JavaOne nearly upon us and people about to spend some time on a plane getting to San Francisco, I thought it might be appropriate to explore some of the newer Java-related book offerings. The Java sections in bookstores are full of many different titles, and just how does one determine what is even worth the time to pick up and review, let alone buy? Hopefully, my opinions will help. If not, leave your opinions on the bulletin boards.

This latest batch of reviews are on the following books, with the Java version information following in parenthesis (as best as I can determine):

• Java Servlet Programming (JSDK 2.0, JSP .9x)
• Java Foundation Classes Swing Reference (Java 2 SDK, version 1.2)
• The Java Developers Almanac 1999 (Java 2 SDK, version 1.2)
• Java Power Reference (Java 2 SDK, version 1.2)
• Java 2 Platform Unleashed (Java 2 SDK, version 1.2)
• Java Network Programming, 2nd ed (Java 2 SDK, version 1.2)

Don't miss the interesting tidbits after the reviews.

Java Servlet Programming

Written by the owner of the servlets.com domain, you'll find my new favorite servlet book here, until the JSDK 2.1 books come out. While the Karl Moss Java Servlets was good and current when it came out, its starting to get dated. In fact, this one is, too, in a way. This book provides decent coverage of the JSDK 2.0 specification, though the JSDK 2.1 specification is current. (There is also some coverage of JSP .9x, where 1.0 is current and different.) With lots of good descriptions, you'll find this book very helpful if you are a Java developer and interested in learning about servlets.

A warning about reuse of the examples in the book. According to the licensing terms: "If you are interested in using the package to benefit a commercial project, you are granted the same license, provided that every person on the development team for that project owns a copy of the book Java Servlet Programming (O'Reilly)."

Contents at a Glance (and starting page):

• Introduction (1)
• HTTP Servlet Basics (14)
• The Servlet Life Cycle (48)
• Retrieving Information (70)
• Sending HTML Information (124)
• Sending Multimedia Content (159)
• Session Tracking (195)
• Security (221)
• Database Connectivity (242)
• Applet-Servlet Communication (277)
• Interservlet Communication (337)
• Internationalization (365)
• Odds and Ends (397)
• Appendices
  • Servlet API Quick Reference (425)
  • HTTP Servlet API Quick Reference (447)
  • HTTP Status Codes (472)
  • Character Entities (478)
  • Charsets (484)

156592391X / O'Reilly and Associates / $32.95 - less 40% Amazon discount $19.77

Java Foundation Classes Swing Reference

After about 80 pages of an introduction to Swing components and concepts like multithreading, this book includes about 900 pages of a printed API reference to Swing 1.1 and the Java 2 platform's Swing packages. Class descriptions do not go much beyond the online javadoc comments, but each package includes class diagrams (in the format of Teach Yourself Java in 21 Days , if you are familiar with those), a summary of the package contents, and some FAQs (some taken from the Swing FAQ the authors maintain). Some code examples are included, too, where necessary.

1884777678 / Manning / $39.95 - no discount

The Java Developers Almanac 1999

Following in the footsteps of The Java Almanac 1998 is The Java Almanac 1999. The book provides an 800 page resource, listing every method of every class within the core Java 2 classes, except the javax.swing.plaf.* packages. While the methods do not include descriptions, you'll find package and classes level descriptions, as well as over 200 source code examples. A good resource if you like having something to put your hands on to thumb through.

If you liked The Java Almanac 1998, some differences include missing listings for all those extension APIs, a normal page size, and a spine size about half as wide.

0201432986 / Addison-Wesley / $19.95 - less 20% Amazon discount $15.96

Java Power Reference

Sticking with the reference book theme, I like the online format of the Java Power Reference. After going to the book's web site to get a Windows patch, you can copy all the files to your local hard drive. Once done, you basically load the "book" into a browser window. It offers a searchable index to the APIs for core Java 2 APIs, the Enterprise Java APIs (EJB, JavaMail, JNDI, Servlets, JTA, JTS, JMS), the Java Media APIs (Java 3D, JMF, Java Advanced Imaging, Java Sound, Java Speech, Java Telephony), Jini, and other extensions (Java Cryptography, InfoBus, JavaHelp, Java Communications, Project X, and JECF). There is absolutely NO comments about classes or methods. It is strictly a list of classes, methods, bean properties, etc. In addition, there are no code examples. In other words, this is NOT Java in a Nutshell for Java 2. I find this resource indispensable, as I don't have to thumb through a hardcopy reference. About the only shortcoming is I still have to go over to Sun's javadoc comments if I need a description.

1565925890 / O'Reilly and Associates / $19.95 - less 10% Amazon discount $17.96

Java 2 Platform Unleashed

A Focus on Java visitor suggested I take a look at this book so I did. I'm not exactly sure what to make of it though. At 1400 pages, it certainly is one of the thickest books I have, and one of the few that is a hardcover. As the following table of contents shows, this book certainly covers EVERYTHING. As the page numbers with the table of contents shows, it doesn't cover much about everything (especially since there are 200 pages taken up by a class index). There seems to be something said in this book about every API that was known to exist when the book went to print, except maybe EJB. With lots of good code examples, you can learn something about nearly everything in the Java world. However, you might find that something isn't always enough.

While not meant to be a first Java book for the non-Java programmer, any Java programmer will certainly need more books after you finish this one, for more depth on the topics of your interest. While I didn't find anything wrong with anything in the book, I just desired more than what was said. [Keep in mind, that I have a tendency to write 1200 page books on a single, more focused topic, so my perception might be a little off.] If you are looking for a broad overview of nearly every Java API, with lots of examples where at least a reference implementation exists of the API, you'll find this book useful. However, you will probably desire more content in the areas you are more interested in.

As a first Java book, the author recommends Teach Yourself Java 1.2 in 21 Days if you are not a Java programmer, though Teach Yourself Java 2 in 21 Days is now the current printing of that book.

Contents at a Glance (and starting page):

• What's New in Java 2 (7)
• The Java 2 Platform API (17)
• The Extended Java Security Model (31)
• Overview of Java 2 Programming (63)
• Java 2 Applet Writing Basics (81)
• GUI Building (101)
• Working with the Canvas (139)
• Applet Security (171)
• Creating Window Applications (195)
• Writing Console Applications (223)
• Using the Utility and Math Packages (269)
• Introducing Swing (313)
• Working with the Swing Components (327)
• Changing the Look and Feel of Your Swing Components (365)
• Using the Clipboard (387)
• Working with Drag and Drop (401)
• Input/Output Streams (411)
• Printing (455)
• Internationalization (473)
• Working with 2D and 3D Graphics (495)
• Using Audio and Video (525)
• Creating Animations (545)
• Integrating Speech and Telephony Capabilities (559)
• The Software Component Assembly Model (571)
• The JavaBeans Development Kit (581)
• Developing Beans (591)
• Notable Beans (625)
• Using InfoBus (637)
• Glasgow Developments (649)
• Network Programming with the java.net Package (667)
• Client Programs (699)
• Server Programs (713)
• Content and Protocol Handlers (733)
• Using JavaMail (745)
• Naming and Directory Services (759)
• Working with the Java Management API (773)
• Distributed Application Architecture (783)
• Building Distributed Applications with the java.rmi Packages (801)
• Working with Remote Objects (817)
• Using Object Serialization and JavaSpaces (845)
• Java IDL and ORBs (857)
• Network Computers (875)
• Database Fundamentals (889)
• Connecting to Databases with the java.sql Package (905)
• Using JDBC (927)
• Integrating Database Support into Web Applications (951)
• Sun's Java Web Server (975)
• Programming Other Servers (997)
• Pushing Java (1011)
• Java Commerce and JavaCard (1037)
• Java Platforms and Extensions (1045)
• JavaOS (1053)
• Native Methods (1063)
• Dirty Java (1073)
• Java Command Language (1083)
• Java Development Tools (1095)
• Appendices
  • Java Language Summary (1101)
  • Java Environment Variables (1119)
  • The Java 2 SDK Toolset (1123)
  • Generating Documentation and Help Files (1135)
  • The Java Extensions Framework (1153)
  • Java 2 SDK API Description (1157)

0672316315 / Sams / $49.99 - less 20% Amazon discount $39.99

Java Network Programming, 2nd edition

Merlin Hughes and company have updated their well-received first edition Java Network Programming book. Offering a complete guide to the java.io and java.net packages, with overviews of exceptions and multi-threading, you'll find everything you need to be a successful network programmer here. While not meant to be a first Java book for the non-Java programmer, there is enough introductory content for someone who has gone through the basics in something like the trails covering the basics in Sun's online Java tutorial. In addition, the more advanced Java developer won't be left out, as there is some good content on topics like multicasting, a complete RMI chat system, as well as multiplexing message streams. A good addition to your Java book library.

One thing missing from the second edition is content on Java cryptography. Due to the extent of changes in the area and the volume of new material, the authors decided to produce a second book, Applied Java Cryptography, on the topic.

Contents at a Glance (and starting page):

• Introduction to networking (3)
• The Java security model (17)
• An overview of exceptions (27)
• An overview of multithreading (35)
• An introduction to streams (61)
• File access through streams (79)
• Extending streams with filters (101)
• Supplied stream filters (119)
• Memory I/O streams (147)
• Character streams (161)
• Character stream filters (181)
• Memory-based character streams (203)
• Object streams (213)
• Client-side networking (251)
• Some example TCP/IP clients (273)
• Server-side networking (309)
• Building a Web server (325)
• Client/server Internet applications (361)
• The URL classes (401)
• Datagram networking (441)
• Some datagram applications (459)
• Multicast networking (475)
• Remote method invocation (499)
• RMI in practice (535)
• CORBA (569)
• Servlets (591)
• Servlets in practice (629)
• Message streams (659)
• Queuing message streams (677)
• Multiplexing message streams (687)
• Routing message streams (709)
• A generic message server (719)
• Building a generic client (731)
• Appendices:
  • Networking (751)
  • Tables (775)

188477749X / Manning / $44.95 no discount

Interesting Tidbits

Sun officially launched JavaServer Pages (JSP) 1.0. Also, look for an upcoming JavaServer Web Development Kit (JSWDK), to replace the Java Servlet Development Kit (JSDK). The JSWDK will include JSP 1.0 and the Java Servlet API 2.1.1. See the JavaServer Pages FAQ for help, like needing to add the tools.jar file to your CLASSPATH in order to use. Another JSP resource is available from Brian Burridge. JRun has a beta version out that supports the new 1.0 specification.

New port of the Java 2 SDK, version 1.2 out for Linux. Get it from the folks at Blackdown.org.

According to an email message to the advanced-swing mailing list from George Saab of the Swing! Team: A Java 2 Standard Edition upgrade release, codenamed Kestrel, is planned for CQ1, 2000.  We hope to have a beta available in August. I'm assuming CQ1 is calendar quarter...

Other Tidbits

Ever thought about going to a Java conference on a cruise ship? Well, start planning now. Geek Cruises is planning a Java cruise to the Caribbean in the fall of 2000. Let them know if you are interested in speaking, as they are in search of speakers, too. Wired has an article on their Perl cruise, planned for next spring to Alaska.

The latest free offer to subscribe to Java Developer's Journal is now online. While they sell subscriptions, this publication is really free for anyone who qualifies.

Forget about free t-shirts, this Java tool developer is giving out shares of stock.

I'll not be at the JavaOne show this year. However, I will be at the Application Development 99 show in London in July. Stop by and say hi.

I'll be back next week with more things to do and places to go. If you have any comments about this week's feature, be sure to post them to the bulletin board. If you have any questions or topic suggestions, let me know or submit feedback. For technical questions, try to post them to the bulletin board area, instead of emailing me directly. That way, everyone can benefit from an answer, as well as offer answers. See you next time.

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