Between Moore's law and the notion of "Internet time," we're constantly being bombarded with more and more information--most of it in the form of disorganized data. Turning this information into useful knowledge is getting harder and harder to do, and it takes time that we just don't have. The current economic situation hasn't helped either. With money spread thin, who hasn't had to take on new tasks and learn new things? And slashed training budgets mean there's little to rely on for learning except books- but learning a complex new programming language like Java from a book is no simple task. Maybe your boss is giving you two weeks to come up to speed for a project, or maybe you're ready to take that next step up in your current job, or be a more viable candidate for a new job. Whatever the reason, the onus is on you to learn. All these factors make it more important than ever to have a way to learn--fast. And that's what Head First Java does -- by exploiting the way your brain works, it compresses the time it takes to really learn. Why? Because its unique approach not only shows you what you need to know about Java syntax, it enables and encourages you to think like a Java programmer. Mastering object oriented programming requires a certain way of thinking, not just a certain way of writing code. The latest research in cognitive science, neurobiology, and educational psychology shows that learning at the deeper levels takes a lot more than text on a page. Actively combining words and pictures not only helps in understanding the subject, but in remembering it. According to some studies, an engaging, entertaining, image-rich, conversational approach actually teaches the subject better. Head First Java puts these theories into practice with a vengeance. Chock full of mind stretching exercises, memorable analogies, and stories, humor and attitude that aren't just pasted-on distractions but that are used to drive home key points and make ideas come alive, the Head First approach is as effective as it is unique. It takes a pretty unique person to have developed such an innovative way to Learn Java. Kathy Sierra has been interested in learning theory since her days as a game designer. More recently, she's been a master trainer for Sun Microsystems, teaching Sun's own instructors how to teach the latest Java technologies. She has been actively using the concepts in Head First Java to teach hundreds of trainers, developers and even non programmers. She is the founder of one of the largest Java community websites in the world, javaranch.com, and she is a member of the development team for the Sun Certified programmer exam. Bert Bates is also a long-time Java developer and trainer with extensive experience in learning theory. His background features a long stint in artificial intelligence with clients like the Weather Channel, A&E; Network, Rockwell and Timken. Is Head First Java right for you? That depends. Head First Java assumes you're a programmer or at least have experience with scripting languages. It assumes that you're smart, that you're creative and open to new ideas, and that you know you're just not the type of person who wants to learn the traditional way. Take a look at the sample pages, explore the background on brain-based learning, examine the table of contents, and see for yourself how Head First Java takes learning to a whole new level. See why Tim O'Reilly says, "This is the first really new approach to computer books that I've seen in many years. I think it's going to revolutionize how programming and other complex topics are taught." Table of Content: 1) Dive In (a quick dip into Java) 2) Welcome to Objectville (intro to OO) 3) Know your Variables (understanding Java types: primitives, object references, pass-by-value) 4) How objects behave (instance variables and methods) 5) Extra-strength methods (writing more complex code) 6) Using the Java Library (solving problems with the API) 7) Better Living in Objectville (inheritance, OO design, abstract classes) 8) Serious Polymorphism (interfaces, more OO design, polymorphism) 9) Life and Death of an object (constructors and memory management / garbage collection) 10) Do the Math (static methods and variables, Math methods, Wrappers, and number formatting) 11) Risky Behavior (handling exceptions) 12) A very graphic story (GUI intro, inner classes, event handling) 13) Work on your swing (more GUI, layout managers and Swing components) 14) Saving objects (object serialization and file I/O) 15) Make a connection (networking: sockets and server sockets) 16) Release your Code (deployment: code organization, packages, executable JARs, and Java Web Start) 17) Distributed Code (deployment via RMI and Servlets)

Rating:

Rating:

Head First To this Book!,  January 15 2005
Submitted by Khurram   [Respond | View]

Most definitely the best Java book that i've read. It has made my life a little simpler. Reading a 100 pages felt like 5 minutes. The book is fun to read and it keeps you interested.


Generation Xbox love this book!,  October 20 2004
Submitted by Anonymous Reader   [Respond | View]

We're thrilled that you and your students are liking the book... What would it take for it to be a "full fledged academic text book" ?


Generation Xbox love this book!,  October 17 2004
Submitted by Anonymous Reader   [Respond | View]

I teach computer science at the High school, Undergrad and graduate level and at every turn, I have added Head First Java to the list of recommended readings.

It has been a Fun, interesting way to get the very visual learner "generation Xbox" to understand OOP and Java in particular.

I wish is was a full fledged academic text book!


If you've been in the shallow end for awhile - Time to Dive In,  August 06 2004
Submitted by Hal Rosser   [Respond | View]

I've been playing in 'the shallow end' of the Java language for awhile, and skipped over some things like javadoc and jar files. Most documentation on these subjects are laborious to wade through and make sense of.
One thing I do to evaluate a book - is look up a specific subject I've had trouble with or had skipped in the past to see how they present the subject.
Its amazing - its clear now. You have to have this book nearby - just to clear up those ffuzzy parts.



great technical book that can actually be read cover to cover,  July 12 2004
Submitted by LT4nywlk   [Respond | View]

This is a great technical book that can actually be read cover to cover with out the snooze affect. I didn't only learn stuff, I actually retained the information. I would highly recommend it to other Java wannabes and look forward to other Head First books.


Head First Java Review,  February 02 2004
Submitted by MD Caruso   [Respond | View]

Topics such as multithreading, streams, and networking seemed to be just a bunch of nonsense to me until I picked up this book. I would say that the Head First series is probably one of the best things that happened in the history of computer literature publishing. What I admire about the series most is the unprecedented clarity. The humor was alright. The graphics didn't only look great and funny but they CERTAINLY were VERY EFFECTIVE as far as getting the point across to my brain dead smack clear.

As far as content and formatting is concerned, I really appreciated the handwritten annotations alongside the written codes. I would say that I have NEVER seen this EXTREMELY VALUABLE method in any other computer book. I also like the use of ample white space - another feature that most books neglect. From an educational standpoint, I see that the crossword puzzles, quizzes, and small assignments are dead smack relevant to the material presented. Despite Academia's opinion that this series may be unprofessional or even absurd, I would surely use this book as the text since I see its unparalleled effectiveness in teaching concepts that are not the easiest to grasp.

Now, on the downsides. I was hoping that the Head First Java book explained the INFAMOUS GridBagLayout and its SINISTER partner GridBagConstraints. I imagine that the Head First explanation of this extremely complex and confusing layout manager would just do the trick of DEMYSTIFYING this SICKLY AGONIZING part of the Java AWT/Swing. Perhaps there should be a second "Head First Java II" book that would include such topic, along with the difficult JTree and JTable, and other topics not covered in the first Head First Java book.

All in all, the Head First series is WAY easier than the Idiot's or Dummy versions (at least for Java). It surely slaughters Deitel & Deitel's Java books more intended for high school or college text. It even trumps the allegedly easiest Visual ("Read Less, Learn More.") series in EASE, CLARITY, PRACTICALITY, DETAIL, and IN-DEPTHNESS.

I would REALLY like to see the following topics CLARIFIED in future Head First publications:

1. JavaScript/CSS/DHTML

2. JSP/Tomcat

3. PHP/MySQL/Apache

4. C++

5. Data Structures and Algorithms (Lists, Trees, Sorting, etc.)

6. Assembly Language (Various processors)

7. XML

8. ASP/IIs

9. Game Programming

10. Web Design/Usability

11. TCP/IP and Network Administration

.

.

.

Every single computer-related topic DESERVES to have a Head First publication for it! To whoever is responsible for the publication of the Head First series, THANK YOU SO MUCH! You've done a WONDERFUL job!


Head First Java Review,  January 26 2004
Submitted by Lucy   [Respond | View]

This books is a very useful to learning. The writing style of this book makes it very easy to undestand. It is good especially for beginners as I am. In one word, excellent introduction to Java programming. At last but not least, the funny pics in this book i love too.

Lucy




Head First Java Review,  December 27 2003
Submitted by Kathy Sierra   [Respond | View]

I wanted to respond to Douglas, who is having problems with the QuizCardBuilder... First of all, Douglas, or anyone, you can always write to us directly for help if you're struggling with an exercise in the book, at kathy@wickedlysmart.com (my personal email, which is printed in the intro to the book, but I know a lot of folks skip the intro ; ).

I'll be happy to walk you through it. But in response to your comments, the code in the book and in the JAR do compile and run, so it appears that you are having a classpath problem, which we could help you correct with a little more info.

From the error you posted, the compiler simply cannot find the QuizCard class, which, if you place it in the same directory as QuizCardBuilder will compile *unless* your current directory is not in the classpath.

So, you could try the following:

javac -classpath . *.java, and see if that helps.

I agree that it is *terribly* frustrating when examples don't work, and if you are having a problem, then even if the code in the book (and JAR) is correct, we might have missed a critical part of the explanation that makes it work for you. Perhaps much earlier in the book, we didn't do a good enough job at making things clear, and for that we apologize and would like to help. In the book's defense, though, the QuizCardBuilder *does* work, both in the book and in the JAR.

So, if you let us know what we can do to help, we'll do our best for you.

As for the content being diluted with contrived wording, we have to agree with you. This we do by design, as part of the learning approach explained at the beginning of the book. But what works for many can really be annoying to some. We hope that, before buying, readers will look at the book or sample pages and see if they find the style appealing... or, well, NOT. ; ) We don't want *anyone* to *not* know what they're getting into, so the sample pages are an excellent representation of what the book is really like. A Head First book is quite different from a traditional text, and we've done our best to make that clear on the cover, the intro, the descriptions on O'Reilly and Amazon, author interviews, etc.

But again, if there is anything that we can do to help you get through the exercises, we are here. We listed our personal emails in the intro , specifically because we feel the same way that you do--it's really frustrating when you can't get an exercise to work, especially in a book that advertises itself as a "learning book". I'm still encouraged by the fact that you made it all the way to chapter 14, though. If you'll give us a chance, we'll do whatever we can to help you get through the rest.

-Kathy Sierra (Bert too)


Head First Java Review,  December 25 2003
Submitted by Douglas Roberts   [Respond | View]

The book is conditionally good but its content is diluted with, I believe, excessive contrived cute wording.

I have the May 2003, First Edition and use Sun's JAVA 2 Runtime, Standard Edition (build 1.4.2_03-b02) and Java HotSpot Client VM (build 1.4.2_03-b02 mixed mode) under Windows 2000.

The example on page 430-431 QuizCardBuilder does not compile, regardless if you copy it from the book, download it from the codeKitchen, or apply the Errata fix for the extraneous public classes.

When QuizCardBuilder (downloaded from the Head First Java codeKitchen) is compiled using JAVAC -g QuizCardBuilder.java the compiler reports

QuizCardBuilder.java:81 cannot resolve symbol

symbol : class QuizCard

location: class QuizCardBuilder.NextCardListener

QuizCard card = new QuizCard(question.getText(),...

^

While I have learned some JAVA from the book it is extremely frustrating for a student when examples do not work. Was this code ever tested before it was published?




Head First Java Review,  November 25 2003
Submitted by Don Freeman   [Respond | View]

I've been a professional programmer for over 10 years but my last two attempts at learning Java have been excercises in frustration. The whole procedural language to object oriented always seemed to be just out of my grasp. I've also spent a lot of money on other books with limited success, but this one pushed me over the edge to enlightenment (I HAVE become "one" with the compiler) due to its readablity and the basic examples. Way too many tutorial-type books bury the concept that they are trying to explain in a lot of extraneous code that tends to obfuscate their primary purpose: that of instructing the reader. This book shines in opposition to that practice, it gives the code needed to illustrate the concept that they are trying to get across and only add what is needed to complete the program for a successful compilation.

Not only that but it is actually fun to read.




Head First Java Review,  October 24 2003
Submitted by Melissa Kamis   [Respond | View]

I love this book! After struggling to keep awake and trying to understand the textbook for my Java class, this book is a refreshing way to explain boring subjects.


Head First Java Review,  October 08 2003
Submitted by Mike Greene from the Columbia Java Users Group   [Respond | View]

For anyone desiring to wade into the waters of object-oriented programming using Java, this book is a good starting place. To get the first hint of what is inside just look at the cover. It is strewn with a series of techie-type jokes and office situations all wrapped in Java and Object terminology. You get the feeling that this will be fun and different.

The book takes the reader on a trip using graphic examples, analogies with common everyday things, and mock discussions between objects with differing points of view such as “An instance variable takes cheap shots at a static variable”. The book is a refreshing new approach to teaching technical material by using graphic presentation and programming examples that stimulate your imagination and your memory. Chapter-by-chapter the book presents new concepts accompanied by multiple examples and exercises. In one instance a wannabe Java programmer expresses her frustration at not understanding a particular concept. The book then tries another approach and presents the same material using a different illustration to make the point, which works well because it provides multiple opportunities for the reader to get the idea.

For anyone with some programming experience this is a rare find. Expect to quickly understand some basic Java concepts and to be writing a Java program in the first chapter. Each successive chapter expands on the previous chapter increasing the reader’s knowledge along the way.

Because this type of learning is fun it truly does provide a new type of learning environment. It serves not only as introduction to object orientation and Java but it is also a good book to keep around as an excellent technical reference. The book contains seventeen (17) chapters and two (2) appendices. The appendices contain the top ten lists of “other” things that are important for Java programmers but did not make it into the book and a simple client/server java application.

In summary, this book is a huge success in explaining Java programming concepts and at the same time avoiding the normal technical “information overload”.




Head First Java Review,  October 04 2003
Submitted by Masa   [Respond | View]

This books is a great approach to learning. It is actually ridiculous to think that with so much advance in the fields of cognitive and educational psychology since many years ago, books like this were not written earlier. The book contains some typos and there are some errors here and there, as most new books do, and that is why I am giving it at Very Good rating instead of a Definitive. I applause the efforts made so far to correct such errors and that the fact that the new reprint actually contains some fixes (keep it up guys, that's great work!). I have enjoyed reading this book in a way I had with non-technical literature only. I encourage the authors to write an advanced Java book following the same principles, and O'reilly to work towards the publication of books on other subjects also following a similar approach.


Head First Java Review,  October 01 2003
Submitted by Victor Esquivel   [Respond | View]

I have had some experience with Java. Ok, I am a hack. But my work required no real expertise in the area. I decided to jump in and train myself...have you seen some of the training (SELF HELP???) books out there. I would rather give myself surgery.

Then I saw this book advertised and decided to spend the money. I was glad that I did. It spoke to both sides of my head. Serious enough to get the point across, yet silly enough to keep me interested.

I blasted through the book and passed it onto my little brother who is trying to decide on becoming a programmer.

Did I mention that I am not a computer engineer? I am a Chemical Engineer creating applications that require this knowledge. I rather enjoyed this conceptual applications being that I am a visual type person.

Thanks again,

Victor


Head First Java Review,  September 25 2003
Submitted by John L.   [Respond | View]

I am primarily a database and VB developer who is just venturing into the world of Java. As such, I had (have) alot of procedural habits that need to be modified in order to truly take advantage of OOP.

After finishing Head First Java I can say that I am well on my way to fully grasping many of the OO concepts that have thus far seemed fairly elusive.

I can also honestly say that this is the BEST programming book that I have ever read -- Java or otherwise. Many books make the claim that theirs is the most innovative / unique method for learning a particular topic. In my opinion, this one actually lives up to that and more.

The conversational writing style makes the presenation of the most technical material in the book easy to understand and relate to. In addition, the ample use of pictures (some very funny) is extremely effective at clarifying and emphasizing the point being made.

I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but I actually laughed out loud at least twice while reading this book. Now, for fear of even more embarrassment, I won't say what made me laugh -- but I'm willing to bet that I'm not the only one who did this. (At least I hope I'm not)

For anyone considering this book -- you should ask yourself what the last programming book was that made you do that. For me, it was a first.

I know my above comments make me sound like a HeadFirst cheerleader -- but the book really is that good.

Congratulations to Kathy and Bert for an outstanding resource.




Head First Java Review,  September 23 2003
Submitted by Frances Day   [Respond | View]

This is absolutely the best teaching book I have ever seen. I teach computing and will certainly be stealing some of these techniques. I learned more from a couple of chapters of this book than trying to struggle through half of the more standard texts. And it was fun.

I hope that this series will soon include lots more topics.


Head First Java Review,  September 22 2003
Submitted by Miguel DeCamps   [Respond | View]

After reading an array of JAVA development books I must tell you hands down O'REILLY has done it again! This book is hands down the best best JAVA book I have picked up. It relates things to real world objects around our everyday lives. It is fun to read and will make the JAVA learning experience enjoyable. If I can learn Head first JAVA "SO CAN YOU!!!!"


Head First Java Review,  September 16 2003
Submitted by Anshu Mishra   [Respond | View]

Beleive me!!!

You can't see a better book for starting java.....

I have read almost all the famous books....but it really gives you

200 percent extra.....

I will bet for all the Head First Book......Hope they

maintain this quality....

Thanks to every body associated with the project.


Head First Java Review,  September 03 2003
Submitted by Derek   [Respond | View]

I have read many books on java, but this is a one of a kind. The message the book gives quite simply is: java is a piece of cake. Keep up such a good work to make computing more fun than a hassle.


Head First Java Review,  August 23 2003
Submitted by Mitch Lowry from the Columbia Java Users Group   [Respond | View]

For those programmers that want to learn Java, this book is an excellent resource. It appears to be targeted towards experienced programmers coming from a different language. There is a great deal to like about this book. The content is at an appropriate depth and numerous topics are covered. Most important perhaps is the way that the material is covered. Graphics and text are mixed in such a way to keep the reader visually stimulated. The explanations are very atypical for a book on a technical subject.

The book is organized as a tutorial of seventeen chapters that start with object oriented concepts and progress through graphics, swing, networking, I/O, RMI and deployment issues. I really like the Code Kitchen project. It is built in an incremental fashion on the material covered in the later chapters. In each chapter there is a group of exercises to challenge your retention of the material. But even more powerful are the learning concepts that the book is based on. Kathy and Bert are experienced instructors, but they have taken their knowledge of the content and merged it with the latest information in learning concepts to create a book that is fun to read, but a tremendous teaching tool. Dry and boring authors beware; tedious technical tomes are no longer acceptable, if they ever were.

The book is an excellent investment in time and money for anyone that wants to learn Java, but if you prefer a more serious tone, there is always “Thinking in Java” by Bruce Eckel, another of my favorites. However, we liked the book so much that we bought several copies to start some of our staff down the Java road. One last point, do the exercises. They may seem a little trivial, but like calisthenics, they are very effective.




Head First Java Review,  August 20 2003
Submitted by K Toida   [Respond | View]

Head First Java puts a new twist on programming books. It uses wit to convey the basics of the Java language. The book presents java essentials in clear and concise examples. I especially liked the code examples with the “hand” written comments and arrows explaining how the code works and interacts. I liked the exercises and puzzles at the ends of the chapters that reinforce the concepts covered. I think that this would be an excellent book for teaching high school students the basics of java. It would definitely relate to them on their level. I would not recommend this book for serious/professional developers trying to learn java.


Head First Java Review,  August 17 2003
Submitted by Hazel Zamperini   [Respond | View]

An easy and funny read. And an excellent introduction to Java. The 2 self made comics, Kathy and Bert, do an excellent job explaining to the reader the basic constructs of the Java language. The book is loaded with sample code snippets making it easy for the reader to follow the authors along with the current topic. The humorous undertones of the book constantly made me remember that Java is not difficult to master.

Excellent book. Well laid out and very humorously presented. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in learning Java. Like the authors say, this book is not for anyone who already has a grasp of the Java language.


Head First Java Review,  August 13 2003
Submitted by JavaBug   [Respond | View]

I tried to read this book twice but gave up after the first few pages. All the pictures overwhelmed me - picture overload. I think about reading it at night but fear that the pictures would haunt me in my dreams.


Head First Java Review,  August 12 2003
Submitted by jax   [Respond | View]

I don't know what made me buy this book. Maybe because I have tried the usual self study books, never got past Hello World, and just decided to try something different out of desperation.

My initial impression of the style was negative 'stereotypical, over confident Americans trying too hard to be funny'.

But it is so easy to read. Pithy, simple explanations that give a deep understanding of the topic. It all seems so easy. One week through the book and I was writing my own version of 'Game of Life' which has been an idle ambition for over 15 years.

If you have tried 'Java in 3 Weeks', or 'Java for Dumbwits' or 'Java 3 How to Program' but enthusiasm has always waned then give this book a try.


Head First Java Review,  August 08 2003
Submitted by Joe Litton   [Respond | View]



A few days ago I received my copy of Head First Java by Kathy Sierra and Bert Bates. I'm only part way through the book, but what's amazed me is that even in my sleep-deprived state that first evening, I found myself thinking, "OK, just one more page, then I'll go to bed." That went on for the first 25 pages, even though I had been reading a couple of chapters each night from the new Harry Potter book for my brain candy. When the day has come that a book about a programming language qualifies as "brain candy", something truly different has happened.

Rest of the review can be found at https://joelitton.net/A559B2/home.nsf/plinks/JLIN-5PF2BV




Head First Java Review,  August 07 2003
Submitted by Calvin Chang (from a small island nation)   [Respond | View]

Kathy and Bert. Thank you. Wish we could clone both of you and send your

genetic copies to the rest of the world to evangelize Java.

I live in Asia, so you can probably guess that your book has made an impression

here. I learned basic Java and OO programming earlier this year and we had

a good course instructor.However, your book managed to crystallize some powerful concepts which I wanted to know but was too 'dumb' to ask in class.

I like the way you explain the use of Interface and use of pictures to explain

multi-inheritance and how Interface works. I like the chapter on serialization

and file I/O too. I have just finished an intermediate Java course and I wish my instructor had a picture showing the transition from 100% local apps to 100% remote apps as shown in your book. I like your Top Ten Reference section. Although, I know 'Strings are Immutable' but I have gained new insight after reading your comments on its impact on memory usage.

Please continue to produce more Head First Java books.


Head First Java Review,  August 04 2003
Submitted by Ross Goldberg   [Respond | View]



What a fantastic way to learn!!! I CAN NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!!! My 3 year old woke up at 1:40 a.m. this morning, and I put him back to bed with book in hand and a flashlight so I could continue to read for about another hour. Numerous concepts (and their specific details) have become embedded in my mind and I truly, thoroughly understand what has been taught thus far (I'm now on the midi chapters, a little over 1/2 way through the book). I feel enlightened and also feel that I, for the first time, truly understand HOW to use and program in Java, as well as how and why the OO constructs work as they do (which I expect to largely carry over to other languages such as various .NET flavors, etc.). Previously, I had struggled to learn Delphi and was slow to learn Java---until this book. Suddenly, it ALL makes sense and I can hardly wait for more Head First series' books to come out!!!


Head First Java Review,  August 02 2003
Submitted by Bill Gathen   [Respond | View]



I must confess, I was intrigued enough by the "Head First" approach to buy this book, but after programming Java for three years, didn't think I'd learn much from it. I was (and am) looking forward to "Head First EJB", since that's a subject I know I don't know anything about.

Someone said recently (it might have been Bob Cringely) that "incompetence is something you can't recognize in yourself until you've climbed out of it". This book brought that home to me, in particular the sections on polymorphism and memory management.

If you'd asked me 6 months ago if I was an OOP programmer, I'd have said "sure"...I mean, I use objects all the time, create my own, I must understand OOP, right? Wrong.

I was a procedural programmer using objects to organize my data and methods, but I was not truly leveraging the power of OOP. I admit to not having the slightest idea why anyone would use an interface. I get it now. I think I really get the "objects first" mindset that sets OOP apart.

Something no one has mentioned so far is the "There Are No Dumb Questions" sidebars. Hallelujah! Kathy and Bert have obviously been teaching this stuff awhile, or just be extremely insightful people (perhaps both), but they always had the "Yeah, but..." question that was on my mind, with an insightful, amusing answer that put my mind at ease. These are the sorts of questions people pose to themselves and say "...therefore this feature is not really very useful", instead of saying "...I must not be seeing the true value of this feature". Hubris may be one of Larry Wall's Holy Trinity, but sometimes it prevents you from seeing the brilliance in others.

Unlike most tech books, this one gets better (and more difficult to put down) as it goes along. From Polymorphism on, the utility and power of the concepts being taught were really enlightening to me. I'm a web programmer, mainly, so a lot of the Swing and networking stuff were peripheral to my main tasks, but I feel a lot more confident that I could apply the techniques when they are appropriate to the job at hand.

I will say that the typos in this first edition were very irksome, but I fully expect them all to be rectified by the second printing (which should be any time now, given this book's popularity). However, with a book this interested in novelty and keeping you "on your toes", it could almost be considered "part of the game", though I'm sure the authors don't feel the same.

Two thumbs way up, Kathy and Bert, both to this book and the overall concept. Bring on EJB!


Head First Java Review,  August 01 2003
Submitted by Marty Boogaart   [Respond | View]

This is a great book. Don't be thrown by its unconventional appearance; it is serious about teaching you Java!

I am very comfortable programming in C/C++ and a number of other programming languages. I decided to take a university level Java course and the book that they sent me was "Thinking in Java" by Bruce Eckel, which is very highly rated by many many Amazon reviewers. I quite enjoyed that book, but about 400 pages in, it just got too heavy with detail and there were no useful examples to demonstrate the concepts (most of the examples' methods are empty braces).

I picked up a copy of Head First Java because I trusted the publisher, O'Reilly. They didn't let me down. This book has many useful features that make learning easy and fun. I think that I finally truly understand OOP concepts like enacpsulation and polymorphism - and I had already read the "Tao of Objects" previously!

Now that I understand the language, I am ready to resume my university studies with Bruce Eckel's book.

Kathy Sierra & Bert Bates have done a terrific job. If you want to learn Java, then read this book first!




Head First Java Review,  July 31 2003
Submitted by Angela Nicholson   [Respond | View]

This book is awesome!!!! Please, please write a Head First C++!!!!!!


Head First Java Review,  July 17 2003
Submitted by Martin Turnley   [Respond | View]

Head First Java – The book for people that have trouble wrapping their heads around Java.

“Hey, I can understand this stuff now.” That’s a reoccurring thought when someone like me reads this book. Not only do the authors tell you what something IS, they tell you what it MEANS. After trying to get into other Java books with marginal success, I recognized that this book doesn’t just spout data at me, it truly tries to get useful information to stick to my brain. Since there is so much to java, the authors needed to feed me practical lessons in just the right cranium-sized chunks. When you look in this book you might think there’s too much information, but as you read it, you realize that most of the tidbits they give you are relevant to what you are reading. Any technical book that tries to be funny can over-do it, but I didn’t find too much excess in this work. It takes a chapter to get into the flow of the book, but its smooth sailing from there on out. The chapters are focused on practical areas of the language, with concise examples of code. The exercises make you think without giving you stress. The puzzles are a good diversion when you’re working through a section at 2am. Those of us that need a set of rules every once in a while will appreciate the “Bullet Points” I’m glad my boss found this book and suggested I give it a try. Thanks Boss, and thanks to the authors. This book actually helps me.

-Martin Turnley, member of the Utah Java Users Group




Head First Java Review,  July 09 2003
Submitted by R. Shay   [Respond | View]

I stand somewhat corrected. The first exercise does work as printed. I think I was just up past my bedtime. The second one is still worded badly (in my opinion).

I'm going to plow ahead. The technique is too innovative not to give it a chance. And best of luck with other titles using this approach.

Maybe first problems should be fairly straightforward (not that they were where I went to college).


Head First Java Review,  July 09 2003
Submitted by Kathy Sierra, co-author Head First Java   [Respond | View]

As the co-author of this book, I wanted to offer my sincerest apology to R.Shay for the experience you had with the book. Bert and I are 100% responsible for this book, and we just don't have any excuse for having errata. As you can tell from looking at the book, Head First is not like anything any of us have done before, and for this very first book in the series, we had to build a development process from scratch.

Um, obviously, we have some lessons learned with this first release, and we're grateful to all the early adopters who've given us feedback. But that's no excuse, and Bert and I feel awful about having errata. We always used to think books should be so *easy* to make perfect, especially when compared with software...

Having said that, however, we might have misunderstood your problem about the Code Magnet exercise from Chapter 1, because it *does* work just as it is printed in the book, and it doesn't use any of the snippets more than once.

For the "Be the Compiler" exercise, we don't show output in Chapter 1, because those code listings don't produce any. But, you gave us a good idea—we hadn't considered showing the output of the changed code; our intent was to show output only when the exercise code (unchanged) really *did* have output. But it might be nice in the future to show the output from the 'fixed' versions. If our instructions were misleading, then we have a usability issue even if it's not a technical error.

I do want to add that--as horrified as we are about it--this book (still in its first printing) doesn't have any *more* errata than the average technical book, even among the top-sellers, and the largest percentage of the errata are non-technical typos. But that doesn't make it OK!! We just want folks to know that they're likely to find as much errata in another programming book. (Although I personally think it's worse to have errata in a book like this one, because we're so concerned that beginners have a positive experience.)

We do wish that you had written to us at the email listed in the front of the book (kathy@wickedlysmart.com), so that we could have at least tried to help you with the exercises. And although it sounds way too late for this, if there is ANYTHING we can do to help you give it a second chance, we'll do our best.

And for anyone else reading this, PLEASE don't hesitate to write us with questions, problems, comments, drink recipes, and for the *real* book gossip like, "How did things turn out with Lucy and Larry?" or "How did Jen *really* know that Brad is well-encapsulated?" or "Did the duck live?"

Cheers and thanks to all for your much-needed feedback! I can promise you that Bert and I will work our butts off trying to help you learn Java.




Head First Java Review,  July 08 2003
Submitted by R. Shay   [Respond | View]

I was very excited when I read the intro and first chapter of this book. It seems innovative and capable of holding a student's interest. I was hoping to use this book as part of a plan to introduce my teenage daughter to programming.

Then I did the first few problems and looked at the solutions. Am I the first person to do that? The first problem needs to use one code snippet twice, but the instructions don't say that one can. The metaphor of refrigerator magnets would indicate not. The answer given doesn't reuse the code snippet and isn't a correct solution. Did anyone test that?

For the second problem, only part of the solution is given (not the output of the corrected code) and information not relevant to the actual question is given (how to fix the compilable but not useful code).

I went to the errata site and was amazed at the amount of errata already there (which didn't include the problems I found).

I bailed out there. Clearly, I need a different book for my daughter. It will probably be more pedantic, but I hope it will have better proofreading. I'm going to see if Bookpool will refund my money. I am bitterly disappointed at the lost opportunity to make learning Java easier and more exciting.


Head First Java Review,  July 05 2003
Submitted by Douglas Rowe from the Columbia Java Users Group   [Respond | View]

Very engaging and full of fun, Head First Java is like Monty Python meets the gang of four. An excellent introduction into Java or programming in general. The book made me laugh out loud several times. The text is broken up so well by puzzles and stories, quizzes and examples, that you cover ground like no computer book before. My only real complaint with the technique is that it felt a little juvenile at times. Not that there's anything wrong with that.


Head First Java Review,  June 22 2003
Submitted by Anonymous   [Respond | View]

I read this book in three days because I actually could not put it down. Even though I thought I knew Java, Head First put things into perspective in ways other books only dreamed about. I learned so much about Java because of the way the book was set up (using pictures and everyday language to explain things - as well as humor). I would reccommend this book to just about anybody, and I think it would definitely work as a textbook for students learning Java.


Head First Java Review,  June 13 2003
Submitted by Joseph   [Respond | View]

The authors of this book accomplished their goals by presenting the readers very interesting and enticing style to learn Java. Anyone who has the level of reading skills should find it enjoyable while learning. More precisely, Kathy and Bert present the readers a complicated technical book from a real world perspective without compromising the essence of technology. I defintely enjoy it.


Head First Java Review,  June 07 2003
Submitted by Dale Craig   [Respond | View]

I have been teaching college level programming classes since 1979 including FORTRAN IV, Pascal, ADA, C, C++, COBOL, RGP, BASIC (on a teletype), Visual Basic, Java, and C#. Students, like the languages, have changed while most programming textbooks have not. This book, Head First Java, looks promising as a textbook for first semester Java programming. Some of the good points are:

• It covers topics in a well-paced and entertaining manner. The book is "cute", but never talks down to the student.
  
  
• There is not a lot of code to type and students will get quick feed-back on what they create.
  
  
• Objects are covered early but in a simple enough manner so that students can understand the topic.
  
  
• There are some very clever end-of-chapter exercises and projects that provide additional support.
  
  

I have not taught a class with this book, but will do so next semester. The authors might want to think about putting together some teaching materials to support this book if it becomes popular as a programming textbook.


Head First Java Review,  June 02 2003
Submitted by Johannes de Jong   [Respond | View]

I had the pleasure of reading Head First Java as Kathy & Bert turned out the chapters. Though the book has not hit the stores yet, I'd like to share my experience reading the work copy of the book.

I'm a 47 year old programmer that has basically seen it all in my 25+ years in IT. Though I've been busy with Java for more than 2 years, I until recently still saw myself as an absolute beginner. Why you might ask? Well for starters all my Java was simply "hobby" work, I did not use it at work. Secondly, and the most important reason, is that I simply did not understand and grasp some of the key concepts of OO that one needs to know to be able to fully use the capabilities Java has to offer.

As fate would have it, the work copy Kathy & Bert's book became available to me as I started to work in a new department where I have to program in Java. I was drowning. I had to keep on asking the youngsters on the team for assistance. You can’t believe what that does for your self-confidence. But as I read more and more of Head First Java I found myself sitting in tech meetings not only understanding what was being said but I was actually coming up with some fresh ideas that helped us re-design our systems to become fully OO.

Why is that so. Simply because of the unique way Kathy and Bert teach and share their knowledge. The best way for me to describe this book is by using the teacher at school that we all have encountered in our school careers. You know the one that enthusiastically drew the most elaborate drawing on the black board to explain his point, the one that simply generates interest in his subject purely because of his sheer love of the subject he teaches. Now imagine that teacher in book form. The Head First way, your favourite teacher in a book.

I can carry on for quite awhile about the unique style of the Head First way but I suggest you download the sample chapters at O’Reilly or go download the "demo" at Kathy & Bert's own site Wickedly Smart.

What has this book done for me. For one it finally made me grasp Polymorphism, and the use of interfaces. Though I've used it before, like a parrot without understanding, I never saw it's real strength. Now I use it all the time. I can't believe I programmed Java without them. Head First Java turned me into a Java OO programmer instead of a Java procedural programmer. Yep one can write pretty neat procedural programs in Java.

If you are a Java programmer that has problems understanding the finer points of the language and OO in general I suggest you go out and buy the book.

I want to end with a word of caution. This book, because of it’s uniqueness, might not appeal to everybody. I suggest you browse (or download the demo) the book before buying. You will know immediately know if the book is for you.

If you want learning to be fun buy this book.

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