Which book to choose?

Hello,

I have done some programming with GW-BASIC and Borland Turbo Pascal
during school. I don't know C or C++. Now I have to learn Java for a
course, and I have short-listed  three books from the local library.
Can anyone give me some advice or thoughts on which one to start with?
Suggestions for any other beginning Java book will also be greatly
appreciated.

Sams Teach Yourself Java In 21 Days by Laura Lemay, Charles L. Perkins
and Michael Morrison. ISBN 1-57521-183-1.

Thinking In Java (3rd Ed.) by Bruce Eckel ISBN 0-13-027363-5.

Java How To Program (4th Ed.) by Deitel & Deitel.

Or should I start with the online Java tutorials at <http://
java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/>?

Thanks for any help.

On Mar 19, 12:14 pm, Santosh Krishnan <quaeritate-
selco...@yahoo.co.in> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have done some programming with GW-BASIC and Borland Turbo Pascal
> during school. I don't know C or C++. Now I have to learn Java for a
> course, and I have short-listed  three books from the local library.
> Can anyone give me some advice or thoughts on which one to start with?
> Suggestions for any other beginning Java book will also be greatly
> appreciated.
>
> Sams Teach Yourself Java In 21 Days by Laura Lemay, Charles L. Perkins
> and Michael Morrison. ISBN 1-57521-183-1.
>
> Thinking In Java (3rd Ed.) by Bruce Eckel ISBN 0-13-027363-5.
>
> Java How To Program (4th Ed.) by Deitel & Deitel.
>
> Or should I start with the online Java tutorials at <http://
> java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/>?
>
> Thanks for any help.

Thinking In Java is good one.
Teach Yourself Anything In 21 Days - throw away.

http://www.myjavaserver.com/~alexfromohio/

Santosh Krishnan wrote:

> I have done some programming with GW-BASIC and Borland Turbo Pascal
> during school. I don't know C or C++. Now I have to learn Java for a

> Java How To Program (4th Ed.) by Deitel & Deitel.

I don't like any of these books, really.  Deitel tends to get the
highest marks from the most folks, in my experience.

Doesn't this class have a text book?  I'd use that, at least you can
follow along.  If you want supplemental advice, the tutorials on Sun's
website are probably the best source of free, supplemental type info on
Java and it's various APIs.

"Santosh Krishnan" <quaeritate-selcouth@yahoo.co.in> wrote in message
news:22f4c3e3-63a4-42c1-9166-28690c29b94b@d21g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
<snip>
> Or should I start with the online Java tutorials at <http://
> java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/>?

not a bad place to start (you can download the tutorial)

as for books, "Head First Java" is worth looking at
read user comments here
http://www.amazon.com/Head-First-Ja...05957408&sr=1-1

"Santosh Krishnan" <quaeritate-selcouth@yahoo.co.in> wrote in message
news:22f4c3e3-63a4-42c1-9166-28690c29b94b@d21g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> Hello,
>
> I have done some programming with GW-BASIC and Borland Turbo Pascal
> during school. I don't know C or C++. Now I have to learn Java for a
> course, and I have short-listed  three books from the local library.
> Can anyone give me some advice or thoughts on which one to start with?
> Suggestions for any other beginning Java book will also be greatly
> appreciated.
>

I suggest this one:
http://www.murach.com/books/jse6/index.htm
and work through the book.

"Santosh Krishnan" <quaeritate-selcouth@yahoo.co.in> wrote in message
news:22f4c3e3-63a4-42c1-9166-28690c29b94b@d21g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> Hello,
>
> I have done some programming with GW-BASIC and Borland Turbo Pascal
> during school. I don't know C or C++. Now I have to learn Java for a
> course, and I have short-listed  three books from the local library.
> Can anyone give me some advice or thoughts on which one to start with?
> Suggestions for any other beginning Java book will also be greatly
> appreciated.
>
> Sams Teach Yourself Java In 21 Days by Laura Lemay, Charles L. Perkins
> and Michael Morrison. ISBN 1-57521-183-1.
>
> Thinking In Java (3rd Ed.) by Bruce Eckel ISBN 0-13-027363-5.
>
> Java How To Program (4th Ed.) by Deitel & Deitel.
>
> Or should I start with the online Java tutorials at <http://
> java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/>?
>
> Thanks for any help.

You can download Thinking in Java (3rd ed) free from:
http://www.mindview.net/Books/TIJ/

On Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:14:28 -0700 (PDT), Santosh Krishnan
<quaeritate-selcouth@yahoo.co.in> wrote, quoted or indirectly quoted
someone who said :

>Can anyone give me some advice or thoughts on which one to start with?

see http://mindprod.com/jgloss/gettingstarted.html
--

Roedy Green Canadian Mind Products
The Java Glossary
http://mindprod.com

On Mar 19, 11:42 pm, Mark Space <marksp...@sbc.global.net> wrote:
> Santosh Krishnan wrote: 
>
> I don't like any of these books, really.  Deitel tends to get the
> highest marks from the most folks, in my experience.
>
> Doesn't this class have a text book?  I'd use that, at least you can
> follow along.  If you want supplemental advice, the tutorials on Sun's
> website are probably the best source of free, supplemental type info on
> Java and it's various APIs.

Yes we have been prescribed a textbook called SL-275 but it has only
one complete example. Everything else is just code snippets.
Unfortunately the teacher isn't very good too. But thanks for your
suggestion, Sun's tutorial seems the best option at the moment.

On Mar 19, 9:14 pm, Santosh Krishnan <quaeritate-selco...@yahoo.co.in>
wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have done some programming with GW-BASIC and Borland Turbo Pascal
> during school. I don't know C or C++. Now I have to learn Java for a
> course, and I have short-listed  three books from the local library.
> Can anyone give me some advice or thoughts on which one to start with?
> Suggestions for any other beginning Java book will also be greatly
> appreciated.
>
> Sams Teach Yourself Java In 21 Days by Laura Lemay, Charles L. Perkins
> and Michael Morrison. ISBN 1-57521-183-1.
>
> Thinking In Java (3rd Ed.) by Bruce Eckel ISBN 0-13-027363-5.
>
> Java How To Program (4th Ed.) by Deitel & Deitel.
>
> Or should I start with the online Java tutorials at <http://
> java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/>?
>
> Thanks for any help.

Thank you to everyone who responded. I have chosen to start with the
tutorials developed by Sun and consider getting a book a bit later.
I'll keep all your suggestions in mind.

Santosh Krishnan wrote:

> Yes we have been prescribed a textbook called SL-275 but it has only
> one complete example. Everything else is just code snippets.
> Unfortunately the teacher isn't very good too. But thanks for your
> suggestion, Sun's tutorial seems the best option at the moment.

OK, that sounds fine.  I was just curious what the motivation for a
second book was.  If you feel you need better instruction, check the
javapassion website.  It is excellent:

http://www.javapassion.com/

Here's the beginning Java course for that site:

http://www.javapassion.com/javaintro/