Rating: 
Summary: Down-to-earth wisdom, tips, tricks, techniques
Review: UML For Java Programmers by computer expert and consultant Robert C. Martin is a first-rate guidebook to UML especially as a useful tool for Java developers. Shining the spotlight on the UML 1&2 features most relevant to writing better Java code, and ignoring those UML features that have nothing to offer Java, UML For Java Programmers is packed from cover to cover with problem-solving examples, down-to-earth wisdom, tips, tricks, techniques and so much more. UML For Java Programmers is very highly recommended -- especially for Java programmers who are new to UML.
Rating:
Summary: Required reading for team programmers (and their managers).
Review: UML for Java programmers is by far the most practical and usable UML book I have ever read. I loved it.
In this book, which is not only about UML but also about XP (or Bobs derivative dX), Uncle Bob shares his opinion on which UML diagrams are useful in a (Java) developer's all day life and how they should be used (more so as a communication/design tool than as a documentation tool). Chapter 6, where the author delves into a few OOD principles, was especially useful because I always struggled with writing unit tests for GUI classes. Bob presents a nice solution to this problem.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent teaching tool!
Review: Unlike a number of other UML books, this one is not only well-written, but interesting to read and it will make you a better programmer in addition to teaching you basic UML. The book doesn't cover UML in a void, as most do, but rather explains how, when, and why to use modeling, and probably better, when NOT to use it. The author understands that the models are simply descriptions of the code to make the code more understandable, and that models that do not do this are useless.The topic of UML is not covered completely, but the level of coverage is appropriate to the subject matter. I particularly liked how the author showed that models can be used to identify bad code, and discussed some basic OOAD principles. The author also advocates a modified XP approach to design, and while my shop is not XP-based, there is a lot of good information that is not dependent on an XP approach. This book will never be far from my desk so I can refer to it again and again.
Rating: 
Summary: C++ Programmers should take a look at this
Review: Yes, yes, the author says this book will teach UML to java programmers. It certainly seems to, being logically laid out and using many examples in java. But C++ programmers casting about [pun intended] for a good text on UML may want to look here too. The java examples don't use all the intricacies of the language. They don't need to. So if you are unfamiliar with java, then just manually scanning the code will easily show you its meaning. You can quickly mentally rewrite these in C++. Also, though java is a purer Object-Oriented language than C++, it is not syntactically as powerful. No multiple inheritance, templates or operator overloading. Think of C++ as a superset of java, in this sense. So if you take the book's java examples and squint a little, then hey! It becomes very straightforward C++. You might think I'm speaking figuratively. But to an experienced C++ programmer, this should be literally true.
| 
