Enteng

Hi guys! I've finished reading Beginning Programming with Java For
Dummies today and I still want to learn more about java. What books
would you guys suggest that I read next?

I'm planning on reading "Just Java" by by Peter van der Linden and
then go on reading "Thinking in Java" next.

Do you guys have any suggestions? I'd really appreciate them. Thanks!


-Enteng

Chris Dollin

Enteng wrote:

> Hi guys! I've finished reading Beginning Programming with Java For
> Dummies today and I still want to learn more about java. What books
> would you guys suggest that I read next?
>
> I'm planning on reading "Just Java" by by Peter van der Linden and
> then go on reading "Thinking in Java" next.
>
> Do you guys have any suggestions?

(a) /Write some code/. You don't learn programming without programming.

(b) Learn to use JUnit. This requires (a) and further gives you a way
to be more confident that you know what you're doing/have done.

Reading books is Good Stuff, but it can only take you so far. (Similarly,
writing code is Good Stuff, but it can only take you so far. Monomania
is a tool, not a lifestyle.)

--
Chris "cackling with exclamation marks" Dollin

Hewlett-Packard Limited registered no:
registered office: Cain Road, Bracknell, Berks RG12 1HN 690597 England

Enteng

On Nov 15, 5:40 pm, Chris Dollin <chris.dol...@hp.com> wrote:
> Enteng wrote:
> > Hi guys! I've finished reading Beginning Programming with Java For
> > Dummies today and I still want to learn more about java. What books
> > would you guys suggest that I read next?
>
> > I'm planning on reading "Just Java" by by Peter van der Linden and
> > then go on reading "Thinking in Java" next.
>
> > Do you guys have any suggestions?
>
> (a) /Write some code/. You don't learn programming without programming.
>
> (b) Learn to use JUnit. This requires (a) and further gives you a way
> to be more confident that you know what you're doing/have done.
>
> Reading books is Good Stuff, but it can only take you so far. (Similarly,
> writing code is Good Stuff, but it can only take you so far. Monomania
> is a tool, not a lifestyle.)
>
> --
> Chris "cackling with exclamation marks" Dollin
>
> Hewlett-Packard Limited registered no:
> registered office: Cain Road, Bracknell, Berks RG12 1HN 690597 England

That's good advice, thanks man.

As much as I'd like to code some more, I think my knowledge of Java is
not enough. It feels like I'm still missing some things. I want to
contribute to projects someday I just don't know if I'm good enough to
(or how to find one).

Chris Dollin

Enteng wrote:

> On Nov 15, 5:40 pm, Chris Dollin <chris.dol...@hp.com> wrote:
>> Enteng wrote:

>> > Do you guys have any suggestions?
>>
>> (a) /Write some code/. You don't learn programming without programming.
>>
>> (b) Learn to use JUnit. This requires (a) and further gives you a way
>> to be more confident that you know what you're doing/have done.
>
> That's good advice, thanks man.

Other piece of advice: read other people's real live code. Preferably
something you have reason to believe isn't horrible. Pick an open
source project and have a look -- it will be overwhelming, because
at first you'll have no idea how to find your way around, or what it's
for, but that's OK; you can stop at any time and do something else
until things start making sense.

I couldn't possibly suggest /which/ open-source you look at.

> As much as I'd like to code some more, I think my knowledge of Java is
> not enough. It feels like I'm still missing some things. I want to
> contribute to projects someday I just don't know if I'm good enough to
> (or how to find one).

You won't be good enough without practice, and a good way to find out
what you're missing is to code something. At first you'll probably
make a complete pig's ear of it; worry not. Make a little project
of your own. I stress /little/. (Nothing that involves a GUI or XML
counts as "little".) The point is to get moving, not to solve a real
problem.

I'd also advise using an IDE, such as Eclipse, although you /might/
find that overwhelming all on its own unless you have a chum who can
get you started. (Other people advise starting entirely on the command-line
with a bare text editor. If you've done programming in other languages,
you might already know your preferences.)

--
Chris "deliberately didn't mention Jena" Dollin

Hewlett-Packard Limited registered office: Cain Road, Bracknell,
registered no: 690597 England Berks RG12 1HN

Lew

Enteng wrote:
>>>> Do you guys have any suggestions?

/Effective Java/, by Joshua Bloch. You must own this book.

--
Lew

Chris ( Val )

On Nov 15, 11:33 pm, Lew <l...@lewscanon.com> wrote:
> Enteng wrote:
> >>>> Do you guys have any suggestions?
>
> /Effective Java/, by Joshua Bloch. You must own this book.

In view of you having mentioned this book so often, I
picked it up in the bookstore the other day to have a
quick browse through it, and I think it is a good book.

However, I have to disagree with your recommendation of
it for the level of the OP, because it is a best practices
book, and not for beginners, which incidentally, it even states
in its introductory page.

A better book (imo), is the new "Core Java" book:
http://www.horstmann.com/corejava.html

I would even take a look at Bruce Eckles free book,
to become familiar with a lot of the Java features.

--
Chris

Chris ( Val )

On Nov 16, 12:09 am, "Chris ( Val )" <chris...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Nov 15, 11:33 pm, Lew <l...@lewscanon.com> wrote:

[snip]

> I would even take a look at Bruce Eckles free book,

[snip]

Of course that should be: "Bruce Eckel" :-)

--
Chris

Tobi

On Nov 15, 4:12 am, Enteng <ente...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi guys! I've finished reading Beginning Programming with Java For
> Dummies today and I still want to learn more about java. What books
> would you guys suggest that I read next?
>
> I'm planning on reading "Just Java" by by Peter van der Linden and
> then go on reading "Thinking in Java" next.
>
> Do you guys have any suggestions? I'd really appreciate them. Thanks!
>
> -Enteng

"Beginning Java 2" by Ivor Horton is a *really* good book, IMHO. The
other good book I would say to check out is "Head First Java" by Kathy
Sierra and Bert Bates.

But I definitely agree with an earlier thread that said you should
just write code. That is critical. And, the books that will help
most with your understanding will depend somewhat on if you are
entirely new to programming, or if you have programmed in other
languages and have the general concepts.

Good Luck!

Tobi

Patricia Shanahan

Enteng wrote:
> On Nov 15, 5:40 pm, Chris Dollin <chris.dol...@hp.com> wrote:
>> Enteng wrote:
>>> Hi guys! I've finished reading Beginning Programming with Java For
>>> Dummies today and I still want to learn more about java. What books
>>> would you guys suggest that I read next?
>>> I'm planning on reading "Just Java" by by Peter van der Linden and
>>> then go on reading "Thinking in Java" next.
>>> Do you guys have any suggestions?
>> (a) /Write some code/. You don't learn programming without programming.
>>
>> (b) Learn to use JUnit. This requires (a) and further gives you a way
>> to be more confident that you know what you're doing/have done.
>>
>> Reading books is Good Stuff, but it can only take you so far. (Similarly,
>> writing code is Good Stuff, but it can only take you so far. Monomania
>> is a tool, not a lifestyle.)
>>
>> --
>> Chris "cackling with exclamation marks" Dollin
>>
>> Hewlett-Packard Limited registered no:
>> registered office: Cain Road, Bracknell, Berks RG12 1HN 690597 England
>
> That's good advice, thanks man.
>
> As much as I'd like to code some more, I think my knowledge of Java is
> not enough. It feels like I'm still missing some things. I want to
> contribute to projects someday I just don't know if I'm good enough to
> (or how to find one).

You will go on "missing some things" until you do a bunch of programming
in Java.

There is an awkward chicken-and-egg problem. It is difficult to write a
even a simple program in a language you do not know, but I have never
seen anyone learn a programming language without writing programs in it.

The solution is to start with very simple little programs and gradually
work up. The first programs will be throw-aways - things you write just
to learn, and never use, so they don't need to do anything really useful.

Patricia

Enteng

Thanks for the suggestions!
I know I have to code a lot but I'm lost. I mean I don't have any
guides on what to do.
I mean what should I learn first? What should I concentrate on(aspects
of java that's most handy in the IT field)?

Would a book that'll guide me help? I'm kind of looking for a next
book after the Beginning Programming with Java Dummies book.
Everyone's suggesting different books but I don't know what's the best
for me.

Again, thanks. I appreciate all of your feedbacks