Java, java, java. It seems like every author these days wants to cram Java down your throat, right? Well, here's the latest guaranteed-to-get-you-Java-savvy book. This one, however, offers you more mileage on the Internet highway for your money. Crammed into its 1,247 pages are the techniques and tricks that you need to know to develop even complex Java programs. The CD-ROM includes more than 50 sample applets; Sun's latest Java Developer's Kit for Windows 95, NT, and the Mac; and both Windows and Macintosh tools.
So how do the authors guide you through all the nuts and bolts in 21 days? The book is divided into three week-long sessions. The first teaches you about the Java language; the second focuses on applets and the Java class libraries; and the third (and a bonus week) steers you into more advanced topics.
Here's a sampling of how you'll surf through the days: you'll spend Day 1 getting introduced to Java programming. Days 2 through 4 get you through object-oriented programming, Java basics, and working with objects. Plan to devote Days 5 through 10 on topics ranging from classes and applications to simple animation and threads. You'll delve into such areas as creating user interfaces, packages and interfaces, multithreading, and streams and I/O on Days 11 through 19. And after you've survived Days 20 and 21 (when you'll learn to use native methods and libraries, plus dive "under the hood"), you can enjoy Bonus Days 22 through 28. Those "bonuses" teach you about Java programming tools, more on animation, and even how to have "fun with image filters."
JavaScript is a very hot topic these days, and numerous authors have attempted to offer the all-in-one JavaScript book. The JavaScript Interactive Course, however, goes beyond the typical "do step one, memorize step two" approach. By buying the book, you gain entry to the Waite Group's "eZone." What's the eZone? It's a variety of online resources that help guide you through your lessons. Stuck on a lesson? You can get help from an online mentor. Want some advice? In addition to the mentor, you can communicate with other JavaScript students via a mailing list. And if you're into behavior modification, your "reward" is provided: you can seek a certificate of completion by taking online quizzes. If you pass the course, you get a personalized certificate.
But let's not ignore the book itself. Danesh thoroughly covers all the basics of the JavaScript scripting language. You'll learn how to use those basics on your Web pages. For example, you can create dynamic forms that include built-in error checking, use cookies to implement "shopping carts" (where a user selects his purchases across different Web pages), and develop a spreadsheet. The quizzes at the end of each chapter are short and simple, and the answers to those and the exercises are in appendices at the end of the book.
Bid adieu to Web sites suitable for quiet library viewing. Just as silent films failed to attract an audience when "talkies" become the rage, the advent of live and recorded Web audio capabilities means an end to enjoying the sounds of silence.
Website Sound tells you how to jump on the aural bandwagon, and the options for implementing sound are remarkable in their scope and potential impact: record companies can feature samples from their latest CDs; corporations can broadcast internal news on their Intranets; and TV and radio stations can appeal to audiences worldwide, with the promise of increased advertising revenues. And that's just a sampling.
The authors recommend that you answer a series of questions before you start randomly slipping in a bit of sound here and a byte of sound there. Essentials to evaluate include legal implications, number of programming hours, and site limitations. With that knowledge, you'll be able to choose which of the chapters to focus on. You'll learn the difference between static file formats and streaming technologies, understand how to use RealAudio, and discover about file/format conversions. Other topics include distribution architectures, server implications, MIDI, and the future of audio on the Internet.