You might find some interesting opinions on this book, by the author, at this O'Reilly page. I'm not trying to push this book. I just find it interesting to juxtapose the high praise it gets there and elsewhere with the cold shower it's gotten in this thread:
http://www.oreilly.com/news/ksmanifesto.html -----Original Message----- From: Januski, Ken [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, November 26, 2004 10:19 AM To: 'Andoni '; 'Tomcat Users List ' Subject: RE: [OT] SCWCD Exam 1.4 Ha! Well I know this type of book has to come as a shock, especially as a book for certification. As I said earlier I gave up on the "Head First Java" book because it was just too "childlike." But this one has surprised me. Maybe that's because I went through both the Manning and Wrox books to get my 1.2 certification and this just serves as a light reminder of what I learned there as well as coverage of new topics for 1.4. I do know that it seemed pretty easy for people to score in the 90+ range on the 1.2 exam and that some people, mainly at JavaRanch, said that that was because anyone could memorize the required material. I suspect that the 1.4 exam tries to test for deeper understanding. My second suspicion is that underneath all the "childlike" facade of this Head First book that the authors are trying to make a deeper understanding of how servlets, jsp, etc. work more important than memorizing the spec. But I can't say whether I think that they've been successful until I finish the book. It may be when I'm done I'll just find that I didn't the "childish" style never added up to anything. Time will tell. But I can't blame you for being scared off by the book, especially as a certification book. I think that it really does presume a young audience, who will enjoy references to "Weezer" CDs, whatever/whoever they are. That said I'm still reading on and enjoying it. Perhaps I'll send an email to Tomcat list when I finally finish it. I do know that the first version of the Manning book was perfectly fine for me for my 1.2 certication and I imagine the new one will be just as good. Ken -----Original Message----- From: Andoni To: Tomcat Users List Sent: 11/26/2004 5:30 AM Subject: Re: [OT] SCWCD Exam 1.4 Hi, After reading this mail last night I found a shop in Dublin which had the book in stock. I raced into town after work to get there before the shop closed and got there 5 minutes before closing. I was so relieved and when I saw the book on the shelf I was well pleased. Only when I opened it to take a look did I realise the true extent of what you meant by "jokes, cartoons and fill in the blanks pages". It looks more like a children's nursery rhyme book than a Java Certification book! I just put it back on the shelf and walked back out of the shop :-( Thanks, but no thanks, I'll be waiting until January. Andoni. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Januski, Ken" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Newsgroups: gmane.comp.jakarta.tomcat.user Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 11:06 PM Subject: RE: [OT] SCWCD Exam 1.4 > I'm part way through the Head First book. I really didn't like Head First > Java though it got rave reviews when it came out. And I did like the first > version of the Manning SCWCD book. > > That said I'm finding the Head First Servlets and JSP book enjoyable, though > I've only read the first 150 pages or so. The authors are from > www.javaranch.com and I'm sure you can get plenty of additional information > there. Of course a lot of fans of the Head First books hang out there too. > > Whether you could actually use it for certification I'm not sure. I think > that you probably could based on what I've read so far because it strives to > get you to understand servlets, jsp and everything connected with them on a > basic level. It does so with jokes, cartoons, fill in the blank pages, etc. > I'm sure a lot of people will hate this manner of learning just as others > can't stand the drier approach of the Manning book. My feeling is that if > you are not someone who gets offended by jokey material that you can read > this book and learn enough to pass the exam, esp. if you also read the specs > as the book suggests. But take this with a grain of salt as I've not taken > the 1.4 exam and I'm only 1/8 of the way through the book. > > If you like your books serious though, then steer very clear. > > Hope this helps, > > Ken > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Mike Curwen [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 12:57 PM > To: 'Tomcat Users List' > Subject: RE: [OT] SCWCD Exam 1.4 > > > I'd be completely remiss in not mentioning that Manning is putting out a > second edition of it's SCWCD study guide. The second edition has been > updated for the new exam. > > Manning's ISBN is 1932394389 (that's the one scheduled for January) > > HeadFirst is 0596005407 (the one out now) > > both of them cover the new exam. > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Mike Curwen [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 11:49 AM > > To: 'Tomcat Users List' > > Subject: RE: [OT] SCWCD Exam 1.4 > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Allistair Crossley [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 9:25 AM > > > To: Tomcat Users List > > > Subject: RE: [OT] SCWCD Exam 1.4 > > > > > > > > > The one you found "Head First Servlets and JSP" appears to me > > > not to be a dedicated exam guide. I think the only reason it > > > > Not sure what copy you're looking at. Mine has a black bar > > across the top that say "... Study Guide" > > > > The subtitle of the book is "Passing the Sun Certified Web > > Component Developer Exam" > > > > and it mentions on the cover that it is "Written by the > > co-developers of the real SCWCD exam for J2EE 1.4". > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
