Book Review - Beyond Java by Bruce A. Tate
Category Book Reviews
Living in the here and now like most of us do, it's easy to think that whatever language or platform we develop on is a smart and rational choice. But in Bruce A. Tate's book Beyond Java, you realize that stepping back and looking ahead might help save your career...
Contents: Owls and Ostriches; The Perfect Storm; Crown Jewels; Glass Breaking; Rules of the Game; Ruby in the Rough; Ruby on Rails; Continuation Servers; Contenders; Index
Tate has been a long time Java developer, and in fact has written books like Better, Faster, Lighter Java. But he's become concerned that perhaps Java is drifting from what made it the overwhelming preference of developers these days. In fact, he feels that there are issues with Java that could allow other languages and frameworks to become the next significant trend in software development. He has some opinions on what options may be out there (Ruby, PHP, etc.), and he's very open about how each of those directions may have some problems of their own. There are no "right answers", and Tate doesn't pretend to offer any. But he does feel it's time to start looking...
For me, the sign of an excellent book is one that makes me stop and think about my own choices as I'm reading, as well as prompting me to take some steps instead of just thinking about taking those steps. This book met that requirement. While the book is written primarily for Java developers, the underlying message is for *any* IT professional. Things change, nothing lasts forever, and standing in one place means you're falling behind and risking obsolescence. I had sort of been thinking that I really needed to push into a few new areas this upcoming year. After reading Beyond Java, those passing thoughts have coalesced into concrete actions. You can't ask for more than that from a book.
This is a book I'd recommend to any software developer who is serious about what they do for a living. Step back, take a breath, and figure out if you're still heading in the right direction.
Living in the here and now like most of us do, it's easy to think that whatever language or platform we develop on is a smart and rational choice. But in Bruce A. Tate's book Beyond Java, you realize that stepping back and looking ahead might help save your career...
Contents: Owls and Ostriches; The Perfect Storm; Crown Jewels; Glass Breaking; Rules of the Game; Ruby in the Rough; Ruby on Rails; Continuation Servers; Contenders; Index
Tate has been a long time Java developer, and in fact has written books like Better, Faster, Lighter Java. But he's become concerned that perhaps Java is drifting from what made it the overwhelming preference of developers these days. In fact, he feels that there are issues with Java that could allow other languages and frameworks to become the next significant trend in software development. He has some opinions on what options may be out there (Ruby, PHP, etc.), and he's very open about how each of those directions may have some problems of their own. There are no "right answers", and Tate doesn't pretend to offer any. But he does feel it's time to start looking...
For me, the sign of an excellent book is one that makes me stop and think about my own choices as I'm reading, as well as prompting me to take some steps instead of just thinking about taking those steps. This book met that requirement. While the book is written primarily for Java developers, the underlying message is for *any* IT professional. Things change, nothing lasts forever, and standing in one place means you're falling behind and risking obsolescence. I had sort of been thinking that I really needed to push into a few new areas this upcoming year. After reading Beyond Java, those passing thoughts have coalesced into concrete actions. You can't ask for more than that from a book.
This is a book I'd recommend to any software developer who is serious about what they do for a living. Step back, take a breath, and figure out if you're still heading in the right direction.
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