Why I like this book:
- It gives a good overall coverage of the open source options that aids decision making.
- Something like this was well overdue.
- Reasonably well written, they know their stuff.
- Good pointers and relevant advicxe.
Why I don't like this book.
- As usual, the code does not work, ant generates warnings, some pages on the web application do not work, no install instructions, had to figure it out for 2 hours. No source files for the argoUML provided.
- SPELLING AND GRAMMAR ERRORS. If you can't stand them, like me, you will writhe in pain at some real shockers.
- The example application is TOO COMPLEX. If you provide an example system, MAKE IT WORK FIRST AND PROVIDE INSTALL INSTRUCTIONS PLEASE.
- The website is "under construction", therefore no errata, had to go to the publisher's site for the source code.
- An online version of the example app would have been a good idea.
- I will probably only read it once and never refer to it again because of these issues, so kinda wasted it's potential.
- I contacted the authors and got the usual "not my problem" response.
I hope this helps you make a sound purchase decision, and just maybe it would have got 4 stars if the external issues such as cource code building, website, errata etc were addressed. Attention authors: it's not too late to address them. Unfortunately I do have that bad just-bought-an-expensive-java-book-again-and-feel-let-down-just-publish-it-and-forget-it kinda feeling.
