Data Structures and the Java Collections Framework Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Almost three years ago I read a data structures book which used Java for implementation of the topics covered. Perhaps I did not have a solid grasp of the Java language back then, but the book was one of the worst I have come across - I don't even remember the name. "Data Structures and the Java Collections Framework" on the other hand is one of the most up-to-date books available and certainly one that I will remember for quite some time.
Not only does it cover the theory behind many of the fundamental data structures such as arrays, stacks, queues, trees, graphs, maps, etc. but it also illustrates common algorithms required by those data structures. For a book covering this kind of material that would have been enough, but this book excels in showing implementations with the latest version of Java.
Furthermore, this book's purpose is not to teach Object Oriented programming with Java, or the latest features of version 1.5 (Generics, foreach loop, boxing, vararg). The author assumes those were taught in an introductory Java course. Thus, the book does accomplish its goal to teach data structures using Java, and taking advantage of OO design and the latest features of the language. And for those who need a quick refresher two review chapters are included that quickly cover the most commonly used features of Java, as well as javadoc and packages.
As many other technical books, this one contains its share of typos and errors - nothing major though. Later in the book, only parts of the entire implementation of certain data structures are presented, but yet there is no mention that the book's website contains that and more. Also, an introduction to JUnit could have made this book better.
The part that readers will find most useful about Mr. Collins' book is the future applicability of the Java Collections Framework. There are many poorly written books that deal with data structures and books about the Collections Framework. And yet this book does an outstanding job with the two subjects. A great book to learn data structures from - Highly recommended.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Data Structures and the Java Collections Framework

Click here for more information about Data Structures and the Java Collections Framework

Read More...

Data Structures and Abstractions with Java Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)We have been using this book at CSUCI as a textbook for a CS2 class with a heavy hands-on component. The book is very good in that role, and the lab manual - in spite of numerous errors in the first edition - is a very good companion.
It is neither a tutorial nor a reference; it is a textbook for a university-level course. It teaches students how to embed numerous data structures and algorithms in Abstract Data Types (ADTs), how to use them from clients, and how to utilize the existing equivalents from the Java libraries (mainly Java Collection Framework).
I highly recommend this book along with the lab manual to CS2 instructors.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Data Structures and Abstractions with Java

Click here for more information about Data Structures and Abstractions with Java

Read More...

Data Structures and Algorithms in Java (2nd Edition) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is an excellent book on data structures and algorithms and would be a great addition to a student's text book. Fortunately Lafore does not dwell on the algorithm analysis as many data structures books do. This is a plus for me, as most texts on the subject get the reader bogged down in the analysis portion of the subject matter. Note: algorithm analysis is a very important subject I just don't believe it should be taught in parallel with data structures to the extent it is. Its easier for me and many others to first learn how to implement data structures and get a feel for their performance then move on to in-depth analysis.
In this book you'll learn the more important data structures without the heavy mathematics many algorithm and data structure books torture readers with. The book is written in very accessible language and the applets really help the inexperienced see the algorithms in action.
As I mentioned this book does not cover algorithm analysis in detail. A step up from this book would be one of Sedgewick's books which provides more detail on the analysis front and some really 'tight' implementations. A good book that focuses on Algorithm Analysis is Intro to Algorithms by Cormen. You better have your math skills up to snuff for the Cormen book however.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Data Structures and Algorithms in Java (2nd Edition)

Get 43% OFF

Click here for more information about Data Structures and Algorithms in Java (2nd Edition)

Read More...

Object-Oriented Discrete-Event Simulation with Java - A Practical Introduction (SERIES IN COMPUTER SYSTEMS (previously: The Plenum Series in Computer (Series in Computer Science) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Some of the concepts were new to me and some were not. The old ideas were the ones that I came across in a first Java programming course or in a discrete-event simulation course. Book is easy to read, concise, not a textbook. Useful for someone that has not studied anything about discrete-event simulation.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Object-Oriented Discrete-Event Simulation with Java - A Practical Introduction (SERIES IN COMPUTER SYSTEMS (previously: The Plenum Series in Computer (Series in Computer Science)

This book introduces the application of the Java programminglanguage in discrete-event simulation. In addition, the fundamentalconcepts and practical simulation techniques for modeling differenttypes of systems to study their general behavior and their performanceare introduced. The approaches applied are the process interactionapproach to discrete-event simulation and object-oriented modeling.Java is used as the implementation language and UML as the modelinglanguage. The first offers several advantages compared to C++, themost important being thread handling, graphical user interfaces (GUI),and Web computing. The second language, UML (Unified ModelingLanguage), is the standard notation used today for modeling systems asa collection of classes, class relationships, objects, and objectbehavior. The book concentrates on object-oriented modeling andimplementation aspects of simulation models using Java and practicalsimulation techniques. In addition, the book illustrates the dynamicbehavior of systems using the various simulation models as casestudies.

Click here for more information about Object-Oriented Discrete-Event Simulation with Java - A Practical Introduction (SERIES IN COMPUTER SYSTEMS (previously: The Plenum Series in Computer (Series in Computer Science)

Read More...