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Title: Uml in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference (Nutshell Handbook) by Sinan Si Alhir, Sinan Si Alhir, Andy Oram ISBN: 1565924487 Publisher: O'Reilly & Associates Pub. Date: 1998 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 2.13
Rating: 4
Summary: Advanced UML; for a limited audience
Comment: This book was extremely significant to me, and reading it was a very positive experience. However, I cannot take issue with a lot of the comments posted thus far for this book.
I have read Grady Booch's UML User's Guide, the UML Specifications, James Rumbaugh's OMT Book (from 91), and Desmond D'Souza's Catalysis work. Though I have plunged through each work at least twice, there were still some significant missing links, and this book was a great help in filling many of these in (how Use Cases relate to Sequence & Coll. Diagrams; how Use Cases can use signals (Statechart events); and the real difference in Statechart and Activity diagrams).
For those who wanted a quick course in UML, with some well thought-out examples... I can understand their disappointment. It is unfortunate that the online purchasers could not read the author's preface, which states that the reader should have UML experience before diving in. It is a quick reference, not a tutorial, and that difference is huge. I own the Java in a Nutshell book, and I _could not_ learn Java from it... it was useful only after I discovered the basics somewhere else. So I believe O'Reilly stuck to their original Nutshell philosophy, and should not be attacked for not handholding every beginner.
I quite enjoyed the first few chapters, which were a metamodel of terms that underly the entire structure of problem solving... an interesting philisophical discussion worthy of three or four reads (and worthy of its own book)! The UML introduction chapters were far too short to be of use (as anyone who has tried to read or write a comprehensive example in UML will notice). However, the reference chapters on the individual UML elements are written well... the bulleted lists and removal of examples make for a quick, uncomplicated, unclouded read. You can always hope for more (any UML book under 500 pages that claims to be comprehensive is suspect... UML is sooo powerful, its applications are illimitable), but for a light 250 page, $20 book, I was quite satisfied. Find a bookstore, flip through chapter 2 and the reference chapters, and see for yourself.
When in the field using UML, I have my notes from Booch's User Guide, and a copy of this book.
Rating: 2
Summary: Unlike most O'Reilly books, it's poorly written
Comment: As a devotee of O'reilly titles (it's the first publisher I usually look to on computer subjects), this one was disappointing. Regardless of whether it covers the subject matter well, the book fails simply because of the writing. It is, at least in the beginning, weighed down by comma series that go on forever, parenthetic notes that are redundant, and points that are lost in a volume of unrelated stuff.
The author lacks focus, and the writing style is academic. This is not a practitioner's guide. I ended up purchasing a second UML book within a week.
Rating: 4
Summary: Very good reference for drawing diagrams correctly
Comment: This book focuses on how to create effective and correct UML diagrams, not on software design, not on software design. I use this book as a reference when I want a concise explanation or clarification on how to depict an idea in a UML diagram.
Most of the information is presented as an outline of key points--there is little fluff or detail. I attend many lectures and seminars and actually enjoyed that format, but it can be disconcerting to readers.
Part I of the book provides a short overview of UML and OO that I often refer to people just becoming familiar with the concepts. While the information can be found in many texts, its conciseness seemed to give me new insights.
Part II provides a brief tutorial in UML. Inasmuch as one cannot effectively learn how to model by just reading a book, if you are new to software design you will probably want a book with more examples and diagrams. However, if you're familiar with modeling techniques and have been exposed to UML, this section offers a very condensed summation of the purposes and construction of UML diagramsm.
Part III is the "quick reference" section. Each diagram type is covered by a chapter along with a chapter on overall diagram organization, UML extension mechanisms, and even the Object Constraint Language. As mentioned before, each chapter is brief, concise, and highlights key points. I find it helps me focus on the key points of the diagram which I find valuable when I'm in the middle of diagramming and am not sure how exactly to express something.
If you are looking to learn UML, this is not the book to buy. However, if you are looking for a reference to help you use UML appropriately and consistently, this is an excellent reference to keep within arms reach.
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Title: UML Distilled: A Brief Guide to the Standard Object Modeling Language (2nd Edition) by Martin Fowler, Kendall Scott ISBN: 020165783X Publisher: Addison-Wesley Pub Co Pub. Date: 25 August, 1999 List Price(USD): $34.99 |
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Title: Sams Teach Yourself UML in 24 Hours (2nd Edition) by Joseph Schmuller ISBN: 0672322382 Publisher: Sams Pub. Date: 24 August, 2001 List Price(USD): $29.99 |
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Title: Design Patterns by Erich Gamma, Richard Helm, Ralph Johnson, John Vlissides ISBN: 0201633612 Publisher: Addison-Wesley Pub Co Pub. Date: 15 January, 1995 List Price(USD): $54.99 |
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Title: Core J2EE Patterns: Best Practices and Design Strategies by Deepak Alur, John Crupi, Dan Malks ISBN: 0130648841 Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR Pub. Date: 26 June, 2001 List Price(USD): $44.99 |
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Title: The Unified Modeling Language User Guide by Grady Booch, Ivar Jacobson, James Rumbaugh, Jim Rumbaugh ISBN: 0201571684 Publisher: Addison-Wesley Pub Co Pub. Date: 30 September, 1998 List Price(USD): $54.99 |
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