Book details of 'Beyond Java'

Title	Beyond Java
Author(s)	Bruce Tate
ISBN	0596100949
Language	English
Published	September 2005
Publisher	O'Reilly Media, Inc.

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virtualbookcase.com score: 2.5   Vote for this book

The Virtual Bookcase Reviews of 'Beyond Java':

Reviewer Rob Slade wrote:
Java is very popular. So popular, that maybe those who really love it, and think that Java is the most productive language (and the greatest thing since sliced bread) are in danger of being left behind when and if something better comes along. This is what Tate is concerned about, and, in chapter one, he warns his friends and colleagues in the Java community to pay attention. Chapter two examines the conditions that led to the demise of C++ and the rise of Java. The author points out that while Java may never face the opposition that C++ did, the preferences that led programmers to search for an alternative are still there. The advantages and strengths of Java are enumerated in chapter three. Chapter four outlines basic and fundamental weaknesses in Java. The characteristics and requirements of a language that may take over the dominant position form Java are discussed in chapter five, and there is a quick run-through of various contenders for the top spot. As an example, chapter six examines aspects of the Ruby langauge that might make it the next big thing. Chapter seven looks at some attributes and productivity metrics for Ruby on Rails. Continuation servers are addressed in chapter eight. The discussion is odd, in relation to the overall theme of whether Java is going to be replaced: the examples are given in other languages but it isn't clear why they couldn't be done in Java. Chapter nine reviewers the contender languages, once again, but with more subjective analysis. For those concerned with the history and development of languages there is some interesting perspective in this book. For those involved in software development, and curious about the possibilities of greater productivity or future tools, the text does not give definitive guidance, but thoughtful appraisal of the alternatives. copyright Robert M. Slade, 2005

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Book description:

Bruce Tate, author of the Jolt Award-winning Better, Faster, Lighter Java has an intriguing notion about the future of Java, and it's causing some agitation among Java developers. Bruce believes Java is abandoning its base, and conditions are ripe for an alternative to emerge. In Beyond Java, Bruce chronicles the rise of the most successful language of all time, and then lays out, in painstaking detail, the compromises the founders had to make to establish success. Then, he describes the characteristics of likely successors to Java. He builds to a rapid and heady climax, presenting alternative languages and frameworks with productivity and innovation unmatched in Java. He closes with an evaluation of the most popular and important programming languages, and their future role in a world beyond Java. If you are agree with the book's premise--that Java's reign is coming to an end--then this book will help you start to build your skills accordingly. You can download some of the frameworks discussed and learn a few new languages. This book will teach you what a new language needs to succeed, so when things do change, you'll be more prepared. And even if you think Java is here to stay, you can use the best techniques from frameworks introduced in this book to improve what you're doing in Java today.