Special Edition Using Java 2 Standard Edition specifically covers only the Standard Edition of version 1.3 of the Java Software Development Kit (SDK). It begins with a series of quick refreshers for Object-oriented programming and Java fundamentals, including applet programming and threads, to ensure that readers are up to speed. The book then moves to intermediate Java features including user interface design with Java Foundation Classes (JFC) and Abstract Windows Toolkit (AWT), data structures and Java utilities, containers and layout managers, and creating images. Later chapters cover advanced topics including Internationalization & creating JAR archive files. Useful appendices offer further Java resources & SDK tool information. Throughout the book, the authors focus on Java 2 Standard Edition SDK version 1.3 changes, including the newest <169>HotSpot<170> compiler, which offers increased performance, faster start-up and smaller memory usage, among other improvements.
Chuck Cavaness has spent more than 6 years developing large scale object-oriented systems, using Java from its earliest availability. His previous projects included enterprise-scale applications for the banking and travel industries. Geoff Friesen has written numerous articles for JavaWorld and Windows TechEdge and has created Java applications ranging from smart card integration to disassembly. He has taught college-level Java courses and previously wrote Java 2 by Example. Brian Keeton is a Software Engineer with NetVendor, Inc, where he has developed J2EE-based architectures for Internet-based B2B companies. He is a Sun Certified Developer for the Java Platform, and has taught courses in Java and CORBA technologies.