Object-Oriented Programming
This book presents a careful balance between traditional problem-solving techniques and object-oriented design. Embracing the object-oriented paradigm, the authors introduce objects early (Chapter 2) and use them throughout, introducing features as needed in a gentle manner. Chapters 4 - 7 focus on the traditional data and control structures, using objects as needed. Chapter 8 provides a more in-depth study of object-oriented design, providing detailed coverage of visibility, polymorphism, and inheritance.
Applications and Applets
Focusing on applications early, the book supports user interaction by providing a package called simpleIO. Applets are first introduced in Chapter 4 where the authors use them in an optional section on graphics to introduce the AWT and its features for drawing simple graphical patterns. They are studied extensively in Chapters 9 and 10 where the intricacies of the AWT, programming for the web, and GUI programming are covered.
Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs)
Starting in Chapter 2, the authors integrate a GUI library that allows students to better understand concepts through visualization and have some fun. GUI concepts are always presented in the context of good problem solving and program development. Optional sections on graphics appear starting in Chapter 4, again to spur student interest and keep them motivated.
Proven Software Development Process
The book conveys the relationship between good problem-solving skills and effective software development by consistently applying a proven software development method that has been adapted to the object-oriented paradigm.
Helpful Learning Features
The authors employ several features to enhance the usefulness of this book as a teaching tool. These include syntax displays, program style displays, end-of-section exercises, examples, case studies, error discussions, and chapter reviews. Also, interviews with famous computer scientists provide glimpses into various careers in computer science.
Elliot Koffman is a professor of computer and information science at Temple University. He is one of the country's foremost CS educators, a former chairman of the ACM Task Force for introductory programming methods courses, and author of a number of successful language texts in Modula-2, FORTRAN, in addition to his four editions of Pascal and Turbo Pascal.
Dr. Ursula Wolz is an assistant professor and former chair of the computer science department at the College of New Jersey. She has been teaching programming for 20 years and has been involved in research in object-oriented design, artificial intelligence, and intelligent user interfaces during this period. She has published widely on issues concerning computer science education and has received National Science Foundation funding for CS curriculum development.
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