The Object of Java: BlueJ Edition

The Object of Java fully embraces the object-oriented paradigm by taking an objects-centric approach to presenting problem solving and programming. Readers begin with four complete chapters focusing on objects, classes and methods. The presentation of primitive data occurs in Chapter 5, ensuring the necessary prior exposure to object declaration, object instantiation, assignment, method calling, parameter passage, class diagrams and object diagrams. The topics of aggregation and inheritance occur earlier than in many other CS1 books. In order to accommodate this placement of topics, control structures are covered later than in other books. Through many semesters of class-testing this objects-centric approach, students have developed a high degree of competence with both object-oriented features and the “classic” language features such as numeric expressions and control structures.

This book focuses on the skills and disciplines of software engineering that are needed for good programming. Since specifications are critical for conveying code behavior in the object-oriented model, discussions of method preconditions and postconditions, and class invariants are used consistently to document examples and to define example classes. The Unified Modeling Language is used extensively as the specification language. The book also uses the notion of patterns to identify numerous expressions, instructions, algorithms and designs that serve to pattern program segments.

This BlueJ version integrates the use of BlueJ throughout the presentation. Explanation of BlueJ facilities for programming, testing and debugging are included along with these topical discussions. An appendix that demonstrates key BlueJ features is also included.

Shelving Tag: Programming Languages/Java™

 

The Object of Java, 2/e

David D. Riley, University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse

ISBN 0-321-33158-3

 

The Object of Java uses an “object-centric” approach to give students a solid introduction to the power of programming with Java. This edition fully incorporates features of the Java 5.0 language, along with the use of Java’s awt and swing classes, providing students with an opportunity to practice the skills and techniques that serve as the building blocks of modern software development.

The Object of Java, Second Edition features:

• Greater emphasis on objects–goes beyond an “early-objects” focus, making objects a theme from the very start. Includes examples and exercises that explore object-oriented programming and clarifies how it applies to software engineering.
• Software engineering focus–weaves software engineering programming skills into every topic. Incorporates the use of Unified Modeling Language (UML), pattern-based programming, and pre- and post-conditions.
• New Java 5.0–the advantages of this language upgrade include the use of generics, the assert statement, enumerated data types, the Scanner class, and discussions on the for loop statement.
• Swing and awt–preserves and enhances the text’s fundamental reliance on Java’s “real” external classes and gentle introduction to applications with graphical user interfaces (GUIs).
• Over 80 complete program examples.

 

David D. Riley is a professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, where he teaches programming for beginners and for experienced programmers. His areas of specialty include object-oriented software development, software engineering, and computer security. He holds a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Iowa. Professor Riley is the author of other programming books, including The Object of Data Abstraction and Structures Using Java.

 

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