New computer science students are far more motivated when they are creating programs they care about. Reflecting that insight, this complete first course in Java introduces each new concept in the context of programs that manipulate students'own sounds, pictures, web pages, and video: programs that help them communicate.

Mark Guzdial and Barbara Ericson draw on their innovative work at Georgia Tech, work that has significantly improved student success, and earned the recognition of the National Science Foundation. This book presents new techniques only after demonstrating why students need them to solve meaningful problems. Students can then run their digital media programs get immediate feedback that helps them stay on the right track.

Open-ended assignments are designed to motivate, promote creativity, and encourage collaboration and friendly competition, using the simple, intuitive, lightweight DrJava development environment. At the same time, students learn to create robust, efficient Java code for any IDE or platform.

Skills include:

• fundamentals of object development
• loops, arrays, and matrices
• drawing with Java's Graphics and Graphics2D classes
• generating HTML databases and using basic SQL queries
• understanding and modifying algorithms
• program performance and reliability

A dual-platform CD-ROM (for Macintosh ^(R) and Windows ^(R)) includes raw media materials and programming source code for the book's exercises and all necessary software, including Sun Microsystems' Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition and more.

Mark Guzdial and Barb Ericson have a most effective method for teaching computing and Java programming in a context that readers find interesting: manipulating digital media. Readers get started right away by learning how to write programs that create interesting effects with sounds, pictures, web pages, and video. The authors use these multimedia applications to teach critical programming skills and principles like how to design and use algorithms, and practical software engineering methods-all in the context of learning how to program in Java. Mark and Barb also demonstrate how to communicate compatibly through networks and do concurrent programming. The book also includes optional coverage of rudimentary data structures and databases using Java and comes with a CD-ROM containing all the code files referenced in the text and required for media manipulation. KEY TOPICS: Allows readers to use their own media, such as personal sound or picture files. Demonstrates how to manipulate media in useful ways, from reducing red eye and splicing sounds to generating digital video special effects. The book also includes optional coverage of rudimentary data structures and databases using Java and comes with a CD-ROM containing all the code files referenced in the text and required for media manipulation. For beginners interested in learning more about basic multimedia computing and programming.