Coriolis in The Books Store

This book does have one shortcoming: it is almost devoid of illustrations--unusual in a book largely about manipulating the physical things that make up a computer. Of the handful of photographs and line drawings that are included, many are blurry or otherwise difficult to interpret.

The tour of the Java programming language provided in Java 2 Exam Prep naturally centers on the basics needed to complete certification. You'll get all the required details here, including everything from keywords, data types, and arrays to designing classes and using built-in APIs like AWT, Swing, and network classes.

But it's the review test questions that are probably the distinguishing feature of this book. Each chapter presents about 20 review questions. (Earlier sections generally have more, and later sections have a few less.) By the end of the book, any reader who carefully works through these problems will have a definite leg up on the certification exam. While other review books certainly provide sample Java questions, the range of quizzed material in Java 2 Exam Prep is a standout.

Each chapter also has short hands-on exercises. After reading about basic concepts and necessary APIs and trying out the test questions, you might discover holes in your Java knowledge. The exercises let you build knowledge in weaker areas. The layout of each chapter lets you concentrate on those areas that need the most work.

If the format of Java 2 Exam Prep is a winner, its pleasant tone and clearly presented review of essential material can help bring blurry topics into focus. Though the Java certification exams themselves are known for their sometimes arcane detail, the upfront style of Java 2 Exam Prep may be just what you need to review Java successfully and earn Java certification. --Richard Dragan

The authors have hit their subject at precisely the right angle too. By choosing to use the Visual Black Book style on Linux-based intranet servers, they nail the application that's most interesting to the small-office users who are their audience. This book will help the casual network administrator get a Linux machine working as a file, printer, Web, and electronic mail server.

The format relies on illustrating sequential steps with a combination of line drawings, screen shots, and command-line listings. The text that describes what's going on in the steps includes callouts, so there's never any question about what part of the illustration is relevant. The format isn't great for communicating conceptual information, but it will help you accomplish the basic tasks quickly and enable you to look into denser reference on a more solid footing. --David Wall