| Q: | What is the reference book for this course? | |
| A: | The Java Language Specification, Third Edition, by James Gosling, Bill Joy, Guy Steele and Gilad Bracha. | |
| Q: | Where can I buy The Java Language Specification, Third Edition? | |
| A: | The York University Bookstore may have some copies available. Many other bookstores also carry this book since it is widely available. Also, you can order it over the internet. | |
| Q: | Is it possible to purchase second-hand copies of The Java Language Specification, Third Edition? | |
| A: | The book has been out for several years so it is often possible to find second-hand copies. | |
| Q: | How much use will we make of The Java Language Specification, Third Edition? | |
| A: | We will use it in perhaps half of the classes. We will need it by the third or fourth day of classes. | |
| Q: | Is there any other way to get The Java Language Specification, Third Edition? | |
| A: | There is a later version of The Java Language Specification, Third Edition on the internet at http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/ called The Java Language Specification: Java SE 7 Edition, by James Gosling, Bill Joy, Guy Steele, Gilad Bracha, and Alex Buckley. If you choose to download this reference book then this is the best version to obtain. You are allowed to download one copy for personal use. | |
| Q: | Which specific chapters of The Java Language Specification, Java SE 7 Edition should I download? | |
| A: | We will make a detailed study of chapters 1, 2, 3 and 18. However, we will also refer to other information scattered throughout the book. Therefore it is best to download and print the entire book. | |
| Q: | Is it better to buy The Java Language Specification, Third Edition or to download The Java Language Specification, Java SE 7 Edition? | |
| A: | The soft cover book is much more practical to carry around than the printout of the downloaded book. Therefore you are encouraged to buy the book and bring it with you to class (about half the time). |
