On to Java

This book is written in the clear and concise style that has made Winston's C, C++, and Smalltalk books of the "On To" series so popular. To illuminate the key concepts of Java, the authors add various capabilities to a short yet representative Java program which demonstrates how Java is used for building both stand-alone programs and web applets. Using this book, readers learn Java quickly and effectively, and learn why Java is the language of choice for writing programs for the World Wide Web. On to Java 1.3 offers a clear and concise introduction to the Java programming language. In this third edition, the authors increase coverage of advanced material, explaining how to ensure good programming practice using interfaces, build complex systems using the model-view approach to system design, add sophistication to graphical interfaces with complex tables, define new layout managers for special situations, increase program flexibility using factories, package applications into JAR files, enable program interaction via remote method invocation, and create network services using servlets. This book is designed for programmers familiar with other programming language who need or want to learn the Java language.

Learn the exciting language of the World Wide Web

On To Java provides you with the knowledge that you need to learn the Java programming language and improve your programming practices. It is written in the clear and concise style that makes all Winston's books popular with programmers.

Each chapter responds to a question you naturally ask when you want to learn a new language: What's special about the language? How do I define a method? How do I implement a loop? How do I open a file? How do I build a graphical user interface? What are the idioms of the language? How do I program effectively?

You learn the answers from a to-the-point, slidelike presentation. First, you learn answers that enable you to write complete, functional programs immediately. Then, you learn how to improve and extend those programs as you learn to design class hierarchies, practice data and procedure abstraction with getters and setters, impose requirements using interfaces, follow the model-view approach to system design, access applets from network viewers, use threads to implement dynamic applets, access files via resources, construct graphical user interfaces using swing classes, and much, much more.

• Based on extensive teaching experience
• Explains ideas in fast-paced, concept-centered unit
• Illustrates ideas via short, yet complete programs
• Answers your natural questions in a natural order
• Stresses principles of good-programming practice
• Reinforces key concepts with targeted exercises
• Recapitulates key points as if-then rules

Well-known author Patrick Henry Winston teaches artificial intelligence and computer science and develops computational theories of human intelligence at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is the author of On To C, On To C++, and Artificial Intelligence.

Java expert Sundar Narasimhan develops complex situation assessment and resource allocation systems at Ascent Technology Inc.

New material on how to:

• Connect models to views
• Develop your own layout managers
• Implement dynamic tables
• Collect information using servlets
• Invoke remote methods using RMI
• Construct JAR files for program distribution

On-line version:
This book is available, in an on-line version, via http://www.aw.com/onto