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Summary: This module serves as the Preface to a collection titled Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) with Java.
Welcome to my collection titled Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) with Java .
During the past eighteen years, I have published hundreds of Java and OOP programming tutorials on a variety of different topics and websites. I have also developed the teaching materials for several different college-level programming courses in Java/OOP.
A work in progress
This is a work in progress. I am currently combining selected content from those earlier endeavors with new material that I am developing to create a freely downloadable E-book that covers Java/OOP programming from programming fundamentals to very advanced OOP concepts.
Among other things, the collection contains the material that I use to teach the following three courses at Austin Community College in Austin Texas:
The collection also includes:
Because it is a work in progress, the collection is growing on a daily basis. If you don't find what you need today, come back and take another look in a week or two and you may find what you need then.
Download options
I encourage you to take advantage of all of the download options (most of which are free) that cnx.org has to offer. You can also customize this material for use in your organized courses or for personal self study.
Feedback is appreciated
And if you find the material useful, I would like to hear more about how you are using it.
As is the case with most worthwhile endeavors, Java programming requires that you have some tools to begin. Fortunately, all of the tools that you need to get started programming in Java are available for free downloading.
In addition to a computer with web access, you will need:
The JDK, the JRE, and the API documentation are all freely available from Oracle. As of December 2012, you will find links to that material on the web page titled Java Platform Standard Edition 7 Documentation at http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/ (The links given in this module may change as new versions of Java are released, but newer versions shouldn't be too difficult to locate with a web search.)
Download
The JDK and the included JRE can be downloaded from http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html That page provides several download options. Beginners should download the Java Platform (JDK) for the latest released version. ((The JRE is included in the JDK package, so you don't need to download both.)
Install
You will also probably need to follow the installation instructions for your computer that are available at http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/webnotes/install/index.html Pay particular attention to the instructions for setting the path and classpath environment variables. This is where many students stumble. Another useful document on the path and classpath is available at http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/essential/environment/paths.html
The Java Platform, Standard Edition 7 API Specification is available at http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/index.html
Also see my Java OOP documentation module for instructions on how to use the documentation.
The module titled Jb0110: Java OOP: Programming Fundamentals, Getting Started explains how to use a text editor to create Java program code. Just about any text editor will do as long as you can ensure that the file name extension is .java. Something as simple as Windows Notepad or Windows WordPad would probably be best for your first few simple programs.
Soon, however, you will probably want to upgrade to an editor that uses different colors to identify the different parts of your program. My favorite color-coded editor is the free version of JCreator . (The free version seems to have disappeared from their web page so you may have trouble finding it.)
Another free editor is DrJava . An advantage of this editor is that it can be run from a USB drive with no installation required. Another possibility, although I have never had occasion to use it, is jGRASP . Numerous other Java color-coded editors, including BlueJ are available for free downloading on the web.
This section contains a variety of miscellaneous information.
Financial : Although the Connexions site makes it possible for you to download a PDF file for this module at no charge, and also makes it possible for you to purchase a pre-printed version of the PDF file, you should be aware that some of the HTML elements in this module may not translate well into PDF.
I also want you to know that I receive no financial compensation from the Connexions website even if you purchase the PDF version of the module.
In the past, unknown individuals have copied my modules from cnx.org, converted them to Kindle books, and placed them for sale on Amazon.com showing me as the author. I neither receive compensation for those sales nor do I know who does receive compensation. If you purchase such a book, please be aware that it is a copy of a module that is freely available on cnx.org and that it was made and published without my prior knowledge.
Affiliation : I am a professor of Computer Information Technology at Austin Community College in Austin, TX.
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This work is licensed by Richard Baldwin under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 3.0), and is an Open Educational Resource.
Last edited by Richard Baldwin on Jan 2, 2013 10:55 pm -0600.
