1. Java in a nutshell. (O'Reilly)
2. LeMay & Perkins. Teach yourself Java in 21 days.
3. Deitel & Deitel. Java: How to Program. (Prentice-Hall)

Books on graphics and data display may also be useful, of which a large number are available.

The overall objective of this exercise is to produce a program for the Suns which consists of several separate tasks which cooperate with each other. The main educational aims are:

1. to gain experience of working in a team

2. to gain experience of building a larger and more complex piece of software than is usual in the Software Workshop
3. to gain further experience of using Java and UNIX
4. to gain experience of some more specialised application areas such as graphics
5. to gain experience of using Java for the design and implementation of user interfaces

Individual students will not be able to do everything, but all should achieve the first three aims mentioned above, and at least one (and probably both) of the remaining two.

1. A written report must be submitted by not later than noon on the second Wednesday of the Summer Term
2. The programming must be completed ready for demonstration by the beginning of the second week of the Summer Term

You are strongly advised to assume that the deadline is the end of the Spring Term (to give yourself some time in hand).

The requirements for this project are formulated in very general terms that give you a great deal of latitude. They are very incomplete and lacking in detail. It is up to you to create your own more detailed specifications in the gaps.

It means that some time needs to be spent on deciding how much you can reasonably expect to complete within the allowed time. In the assessment, considerable weight will be attached to having a well-designed, robust and thoroughly working system and to the implementation being well-structured and easy to understand as well as being efficient. More credit will be given to part of the work well done than to a very poor attempt to do everything.