A Cookbook for Java -- What Took Me So Long?

by

Herbert Schildt

Ever since it became known that I was working on a programming cookbook for Java, friends and readers alike have expressed two types of thoughts. The first can be summed up as "Great news!"  The second, which usually immediately follows the first, is "And, what took you so long!?"  Since my Java cookbook has just been released, I thought it appropriate to answer the question.

I will begin by quoting from the Preface of the book. It directly addresses the question:

"For many years, friends and readers have asked me to write a cookbook for Java, sharing some of the techniques and approaches that I use when I program. From the start I liked the idea, but was unable to make time for it in my very busy writing schedule. As many readers know, I write extensively about many facets of programming, with a special focus on Java, C/C++, and C#. Because of the rapid revision cycles of those languages, I spend nearly all of my available time updating my books to cover the latest versions of those languages. Fortunately, early in 2007 a window of opportunity opened and I was finally able to devote time to writing this Java cookbook. I must admit that it quickly became one of my most enjoyable projects."

Although the above is accurate and to the point, there is a bit more to the story.

I have actually been wanting to write a programming cookbook since I was in college.  It was there that I first discovered the "Collected Algorithms from ACM."  (ACM stands for Association for Computing Machinery. It is a primary organization for computing professionals.)  I still treasure my original copy of this work.  While not a cookbook, per se, it is a vast compendium of information about fundamental programming tasks. It is also the book that first gave me the idea of creating a book that contained basic "how-to" instructions related to programming.  At that time, I did not think of calling it a "programming cookbook," but the name fits.

When I began writing about programming, I would from time to time mention this idea to my publisher. As much as everyone liked the concept, there was always some other project whose schedule was more pressing.  The conversation usually went something like this: "Herb, we love the idea for a "how to" book on Java, but the new version of Java has just been released and we really need your Complete Reference and Beginner's Guide revised as soon as possible. Let's talk about it when you get those revisions done." But there was always something else that demanded my immediate attention, and what would eventually become my programming cookbook would be set back again and again. As a result, many years passed and still I had not gotten to write the programming book that I had first envisioned in my college days.

If the truth be told, I had just about given up on ever writing a programming "how to" book when a unique event occurred in early 2007: an opening emerged in my very heavy writing schedule. I had just finished revising my Java books for Java 6, it wasn't yet time to update my C# books for 3.0, and the new standard for C++ was still a couple of years away.  This created a window of opportunity to finally realize my desire.

Armed with this unique (perhaps once in a lifetime) gap in my schedule, I phoned my publisher and suggested the project. At long last, the time had come and the rest, as they say, is history.

One other thing: When I proposed the project, I used the working title "A How-To Guide to Java." (Working titles are frequently used in publishing before a final title is chosen.) It was my editor, Wendy Rinaldi, who first suggested the final name. She said, "Herb, this is your cookbook for Java. Why don't we call it Herb Schildt's Java Programming Cookbook?"  What can I say, it had a nice ring to it.

Epilogue

As I write this, my Java programming cookbook has just been released and I have just finished writing my C++ programming cookbook.  But there I will have to stop (at least for a while) because once again my schedule has closed. I am now revising my C# books for 3.0.  Java 7 is right around the corner, and the new C++ standard is getting closer by the day.

Update (July 22, 2008)

My C++ Programming Cookbook has now been released and I am in the process of putting the finishing touches on my C# 3.0 books. I am then moving on to Java 7. What can I say, the programming world moves quickly!