Computer Science, Introductory & Beginning, Object-Oriented Design, Beginner's Guides, Programming Languages 

This book provides a lab-based introduction to programming, using Java™ as the programming language of choice. Decker and Hirshfield introduce students to Java and object-oriented programming (OOP) by presenting the empowering features of Java - and OOP classes, packages and inheritance - first, and bringing in the algorithmic details later. The first part of the book is devoted to using and experimenting with Java's Abstract Windowing Tool kit (the "AWT"), providing students with code that is algorithmically simple but produces interesting graphical results. Then, in the second half, students add code to implement these graphical shells (GUIs), resulting in a variety of visually appealing and functional programs. By following this interface-first approach, students effectively prototype their Java programs before writing the detailed code. All code examples in the text are updated to Java 2. The accompanying Lab Manual (with sample programs), developed by the authors, supports the example programs discussed in the text. This construction directly links the lab experience with the reading and lectures. The Second Edition of the Lab Manual has been fully updated to Java 2, the latest version of Java. - from Amzon