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Rating: 
Summary: How did I learn Advanced Java painlessly ?
Review: After my first Java class using Dr. Liang's other book "Java Programming using JBuilder 3" as text in the summer, I was able to write an applet to convert a C++ client program to Java using I/O stream, Socket and Swing before the fall quarter started. How was I able to learn these advanced Java features and used them in such a short period of time? The answer is: during the quarter break, in front of my own computer, I followed each sample in this book to teach myself subjects such as JavaBean, Advanced Swing, Socket, RMI and CORBA. Sample in this book is not only easy to set up and follow but also can produce very exciting results. For example, by following samples for Socket or RMI, beginners can easily set up two computers to play games with each other or by following samples for JDBC, SQL commands can be issued to manipulate popular databases in a remote setting. Last thing I want to say about the book is considering the purchase price of JBuilder Enterprise version in the rank of thousands of dollars, this book is a real bargain because it comes with JBuilder Enterprise version on a CD for three months' free use.
Rating: 
Summary: Do not buy this book
Review: After my first Java class using Dr. Liang's other book "Java Programming using JBuilder 3" as text in the summer, I was able to write an applet to convert a C++ client program to Java using I/O stream, Socket and Swing before the fall quarter started. How was I able to learn these advanced Java features and used them in such a short period of time? The answer is: during the quarter break, in front of my own computer, I followed each sample in this book to teach myself subjects such as JavaBean, Advanced Swing, Socket, RMI and CORBA. Sample in this book is not only easy to set up and follow but also can produce very exciting results. For example, by following samples for Socket or RMI, beginners can easily set up two computers to play games with each other or by following samples for JDBC, SQL commands can be issued to manipulate popular databases in a remote setting. Last thing I want to say about the book is considering the purchase price of JBuilder Enterprise version in the rank of thousands of dollars, this book is a real bargain because it comes with JBuilder Enterprise version on a CD for three months' free use.
Rating:
Summary: Rapid Java application development using JBuilder3
Review: Java has to be the most difficult and frustrating program everdeveloped. I wonder if I am wasting my time trying to learn it. Ibought JBuilder3 about 10 months thinking it will help me learn Java. I believe JBuilder to be a powerful program; the problem is there are NO descent books or tutorials available to learn how to use it. There is virtually no support at all that comes with JBuilder3 except a notepad example. Borland does not have tutorials that make any sense for the beginner. Out of desperation and searching I found this book and I was praying, that with it I would be able to finally learn how to use JBuilder3. First glance through the book it seems well written and organized. However once you really start to take your time and try out the examples, you'll find missing sections of information. There is too much wordiness and theory and not enough explantion of what things mean. For example in chapter 2, learning how to program Java Beans the author takes you through the all steps to develop a bean. At first it's straight forward process creating the project and classes with the wizards, then here is the clincher, the author says OK fill in the rest of the code as shown in example 2.1 It's 2 pages of complicated java code! Your typing in all this bizarre code with no explanation of what anything means, what good is that? The other thing is that Jbuilder builds a lot of code and you have to flip flop back and forth from the program to the book to figure out what you need to type vs what code Jbuilder produces. OK so he (Danial Liang) included a CDRom with the source code of the examples in the book. You load one into JBuilder and what do you get - error codes! So now what are you faced with? Sure I still have JBuilder3, yet I can't seem to use it. I think JBuilder is great for designing the user interfaces, that part is straightforward. But to really make Jbuilder3 work you need to apply java code to the objects you create, and although this book tries to explain how to do this, it falls short in my opinion. I thought that having a RAD (rapid application development) program would allow me to learn java programming fast. This is NOT true at all. This book is really for those who already have an understanding of advanced Java programming. If that's the case then you don't need JBuilder or this book at all. This book will not help the beginning Java programmers at all. In fact it will make things worse. If you are serious and want to learn java programming, I would suggest not using a RAD program at all. You have to start from ground zero and work up from there. Download the SDK from javasoft, read their tutorials, follow the tutorials examples and simply use a simple text editor to write Java programs. Don't bother with RAD programs and this book. This book is not really worth the cost.
Rating:
Summary: Swing, JDBC ... all explained
Review: Liang's book helped me tap into an MsAccess97 database using firstly, JDBC, and secondly, dataExpress components. The explanation on the Swing components is also good and practical, particularly ilustrating how to design using the model-view architecture with JList, JCombobox and JTable components. JBuilder 3 may also be configured to use the recently released JDK1.3. Very clear and easy. Great book ... Thank you, Mr Liang.
Rating:
Summary: Do not buy this book
Review: One of the worst books I read. It uses many pages to explain what to click and how to proceed without giving any meaningful and indepth information. Also, the click guidance is incorrect since it applies for a different version of jbuilder. It is supposed to be a textbook (with excercises) to teach university 101 courses. Thanks God I am not in Mr Liangs's class.
Rating:
Summary: Best JBuilder3 guide, great examples, important tips
Review: Recently I have been creating Java beans using JBuilder 3 and have searched everywhere, including the newsgroups, for help in depth to no avail. On the custom property editors for beans topic alone the book is worth every penny. It took me days to figure out I had to delete the .pme files manually and restart JBuilder to see new bean properties. I submitted this bug to Borland with of course no response yet. On p. 468 Liang gives this exact Tip. I used to teach and there was a basic rule of thumb. People are very good at generalizing, they learn from the specific to the general. That means teach by example, good complete full examples like this book, and people can generalize from them. The numerous non-trivial examples look very good, they have already given me some good ideas. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Not Conceptual: Okay to use as workbook
Review: This book does not explain the concepts involved. Instead, it dives into examples. Further, these examples introduce concepts that are not essential to the subject being discussed, leading to further confusion. Might be ok as a work-book, if you take it, sit at JBuilder, and run each example. However, if what you want is an overview of concepts, this is not the book for you. The typos are irritating too.
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