UML 2 for Dummies

Rating:
Summary: UML for Dummies?
Review: "UML 2 for Dummies" is an excellent source for both students and users of UML. I was looking for a good tutorial on how UML 2 might affect systems engineering documents and found it here. Having completed the book, the reader should expect to be able to recognize and understand UML 2 diagrams and to comprehend the role of the various diagram types in the engineering process. The reader will also be able to prepare UML 2 diagrams to implement his own designs using the book as a reference. If your project is moving toward UML and object-oriented techniques or, if you just want to understand what system engineers and software designers are doing these days, this book is a good investment of your time.

Rating:
Summary: UML 2 For Dummies
Review: "UML 2 for Dummies" is an excellent source for both students and users of UML. I was looking for a good tutorial on how UML 2 might affect systems engineering documents and found it here. Having completed the book, the reader should expect to be able to recognize and understand UML 2 diagrams and to comprehend the role of the various diagram types in the engineering process. The reader will also be able to prepare UML 2 diagrams to implement his own designs using the book as a reference. If your project is moving toward UML and object-oriented techniques or, if you just want to understand what system engineers and software designers are doing these days, this book is a good investment of your time.

Rating:
Summary: What to read next
Review: After reading this good introductory book, I recommend you (naturally!) to read "UML 2 Illustrated", by Laurent Doldi, Oct. 2003, focussed on Real-Time or embedded systems, where you will find a detailed case study showing you how to use UML 2 to model a communications protocol layer, how to validate it by simulation and how to generate 100% code for Win32 or VxWorks.

Rating:
Summary: What to read next
Review: After reading this good introductory book, I recommend you (naturally!) to read "UML 2 Illustrated", by Laurent Doldi, Oct. 2003, focussed on Real-Time or embedded systems, where you will find a detailed case study showing you how to use UML 2 to model a communications protocol layer, how to validate it by simulation and how to generate 100% code for Win32 or VxWorks.

Rating:
Summary: A Handy Reference
Review: As a system developer using UML for the first time, this book has been a great introduction to the techniques of analysis using UML 2, as well as a handy reference to pick up when I have a particular question about a diagram. Recommended!

Rating:
Summary: One of the better UML introductory texts
Review: I've attempted to wade through many, many UML texts. Most have two things in common - they overwhelm you with terminology and/or they generally bore you to tears. Chonoles and Schardt's book was a pleasant surprise. They do a great job of simplifying concepts and diagramming techniques. And best of all, they don't weigh you down with terminology prematurely. They introduce buzzwords and phrases as they're needed in the text.

As for the downside, the only thing I can really complain about is the use of examples in the text. They beat on the same example(s) over and over (I feel like I know everything there is to know about air filters). Repetitive examples like that create a bit of a monotonous tone. But they do in fact get their point across, so it's ok I suppose.

For folks looking for a definitive reference to UML 2, this is not the book. It's an introductory book only. But it's a GREAT introductory book. A true gem for UML neophytes.

Rating:
Summary: Not Just "For Dummies"
Review: My impression of most "For Dummies" books has been that, while offering excellent introduction to a given subject, their lack of depth almost always leads to a follow-up purchase on the subject. That is NOT the case here: "UML 2 For Dummies" was an excellent tutorial for a UML novice like myself, and has continued to be a valuable reference as the software team I work with further incorporates UML into our development process.

Rating:
Summary: Not Just "For Dummies"
Review: My impression of most "For Dummies" books has been that, while offering excellent introduction to a given subject, their lack of depth almost always leads to a follow-up purchase on the subject. That is NOT the case here: "UML 2 For Dummies" was an excellent tutorial for a UML novice like myself, and has continued to be a valuable reference as the software team I work with further incorporates UML into our development process.

Rating:
Summary: A nicely written book
Review: This book is certainly a good investment. The depth and detail of the book are good to clear and understand the concepts. This helps in lot in the preparation and also in the learning and knowledge.

A nicely written book.

Rating:
Summary: UML for Dummies?
Review: Title is a bit offputting and initially I was reluctant to purchase this book because of that. Its not a bad book but its got nowhere as much detail as the UML 2 Bible. It does contain more useful content than UML Distilled 3rd Edition and Fast Track UML 2.0 though.
Postscript: Having spent more time with this book, I have to change my original opinion and rating. This is actually a rather good book and it is considerably better than several other rather superficial UML 2 books (UML 2.0 Fast Track and UML Distilled 3rd Edition) that are available. If you can get past the "for Dummies" title and buy this book you will not be disappointed. Don't waste your money on UML 2.0 Fast Track, UML Distilled 3rd Edition, UML 2 Toolkit and Teach Yourself UML 2 in 24 hours like I did, just get UML 2 for Dummies and then UML 2 Bible and you'll have everything you need to get a good grip on UML 2.0.