Reddit mentions of Introduction to Java Programming, Comprehensive Version (9th Edition)

I'd go read books about the A+ cert (you don't need to certify but it's great material).

For other technical things I recommend a lot of books that are amazing:

• Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship
  
  
• Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach (6th Edition)
  
  
• Introduction to Java Programming, Comprehensive Version (9th Edition)
  
  
• Scripting with Objects: A Comparative Presentation of Object-Oriented Scripting with Perl and Python
  
  
• Art of Computer Programming, Volume 1: Fundamental Algorithms (3rd Edition) WARNING: GOD TIER
  
  Use technology books to learn processes, not end results. To be a better IT person, you should know how computers work as a system, not how to do say "Map network Drive in Windows", learn how those drives are mapped, what are the underlying fundamentals?
  
  

My college uses Introduction to Java, Comprehensive Edition. We'll be using it for 4 full semesters, and I think there will still be a chapter or two we don't cover. It has 34 Chapters in the book then 16 online chapters that covers a lot of topics covering Java EE, JSP, etc. It starts at the beginner level and goes from there.

However, despite its size it still doesn't go too in depth in many topics. For example, I'll be taking Java concurrency class next semester. We'll be starting with the concurrency chapter in the Intro to Java book and then we'll be moving to Concurrency in Practice by Brian Goetz.

This os only the second of two Java books I have exposure to, so I can't really rate it against any others, but it seems pretty good overall, though slightly vague on a few topics.

I have my degree in Computer Science, so my path is probably not ideal for you at this point. However, that does not mean that you can't do it!


My honest recommendation at this point is to just jump in and get started. I've been recommending this book as a start for friends and fellow teachers https://www.amazon.com/Python-Crash-Course-Hands-Project-Based/dp/1593276036.


Alternatively, if python isn't your thing, grab a textbook for c or java. These are the ones I used for my degree and still keep as desk references.

https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Out-Control-Structures-Objects/dp/0133769399

https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Java-Programming-Comprehensive-Version/dp/0132936526


Once you have gotten started and are fairly comfortable doing the exercises in books, I suggest these websites for additional problems to explore:

https://codingbat.com/

https://www.hackerrank.com/

https://leetcode.com/

https://uva.onlinejudge.org/

https://open.kattis.com/

https://codeforces.com/


If you are going to go for it, make sure to join some communities. Familiarize yourself with stackoverflow.com (ask jeeves for programming, with some proper wizards to answer questions). /r/programming is pretty good too.


Finally, never stop to sit on somebody else's problems and projects. Pick something that you want to make but have no idea how to make it. Then do it. And don't stop. See the project all the way through even though your code will be HIDEOUS and unattainable by the end. There is a lot to be learned from finishing a project.


The formal logic stuff is the root of computation, but if you are using your cell phone without understanding it, then it follows that you should be able to write programs without understanding it. There is a depth of programming where it becomes important, but I would say that 90% or more of developers don't really need to understand the underlying processes by which processors process.


Good luck!

I used this book,
http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Programming-Comprehensive-Version-Edition/dp/0132936526/ref=zg_bs_3608_53

There are probably other good books, but I really liked this one. It has a broad range of topics and examples.

Also, I didn't start programming until college. Starting at 14 is awesome! You're going to be amazing by the time you graduate!

I use this text book in college and I find it very informative (but slightly pricey).

Link

Edit: forgot the link and a period

This is the text I used to learn elementary Java programming:

https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Java-Programming-Comprehensive-Version/dp/0132936526

at the end of each chapter is a set of exercises... we're talking about 20-30 or more exercises.

I'm actually re-studying basic java because I have an advanced java course this fall. I'm just going back to each chapter, read through it, and doing every.single.exercise.

It gets repetitive very quickly, but that's what I want: to know the basics so thoroughly that I don't have to think in order to type or use them in basic scenarios.

The main point for me is to do the basic exercises so much that when I start this advanced Java course this fall, i'm not re-learning any of the basics. if you're willing to spend $15 to get an old copy, it might be worth it.

Or find a pdf online if you don't care about paying for it. That works, too, I guess.

I was going to recommend reading a book but it seems you've already got a couple. When I started programming in Java about a year ago, I used this book.


I'm obviously still learning myself and have a long way to go but if you're interested I'd be willing to do my best to answer any specific questions you have. Just send me a message with a question or a way to contact you! (IRC, Skype, whatever.)

I wouldn't say polymorphism is a higher comp sci concept, in fact it's more of just a programming concept. This textbook Introduction to Java Programming which you may or may not find in some kind of book torrent site, has great examples with source code you can download.

In the preface of the book, it tells you the chapters combine to form a few different parts.

Part 1 are fundamentals like loops method and arrays... you probably know all these.

Part 2 of the book goes over all the OOP concepts like Polymorphism/Inheritance/Abstractions/Interfaces which seems like is what you are asking for.

Part 3 goes over GUI so you can skip all those chapters if you don't care for GUIs.

Part 4 is about data structures and algorithm, which is not really a substitute for a pure data structure or algorithm book, but gives a nice reference with understandable examples.

Part 5 is "advance java programming" which gives you a chapter on something specific like mutlithreading and parallel programming/ networking / working with database / etc.

I from time to time go back to the examples of this book for reference on stuff. The examples a written in relatively good style and are simple. They often have a simple example then gets build on to be a more elaborate one. Downloadable code samples is also great so you can play with it yourself.

If you want to learn more comp sci concepts like data struct and algorithms, I'd say pick up a different book dedicated to that... but at least this book I mentioned covers it a little bit.

Intro

Introduction to Java Programming, Comprehensive edition

Honestly, my personal opinion is to start out with Java or C++. One of my favorite books in programming is http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Programming-Comprehensive-Version-Edition/dp/0132936526. You might find this elsewhere for cheaper. Read the book carefully, and work through the problems. When you have a problem come back here and ask questions. That's what I'd do. Don't even pay for a course! Not unless you've mastered at least one programming language first, and you want the credit.

I'm revisiting this because you've posted the link.

Um... the book looks like trash. Read the reviews.

Try this one, it's new so look at the reviews of the last version.

http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Programming-Comprehensive-Version-Edition/dp/0132936526
for java, if you finish this book you'll be REALLY well off. Java is easier to start learning, but if you understand either you'll just need to learn the syntax of the other one.They're pretty similliar (both are based on c).