Editorial Review:
The sixth edition of this classic text for the breadth-first computer science course has been thoroughly updated to discuss increasingly important trends such as networking, object-oriented programming, and genetic algorithms. Author and educator J. Glenn Brookshear continues to introduce students to the discipline of computer science by providing accurate and balanced coverage of CS as a whole and of a variety of CS topics, including programming languages and artificial intelligence. This edition features new sections on public key encryption, evolutionary programming and genetic algorithms, as well as thoroughly revised sections on data manipulation, operating systems and networking. Features Updates students on recent changes and current trends in the industry, such as networking, genetic algorithms and object-oriented programming Puts learning in perspective by using real-life analogies and concrete examples to make even the most complex topics accessible to students Web site provides students and instructors with online resources of topics found in the text New and extended ethical sections in software engineering and database systems, in addition to optional "Computers and Society" sections at the end of each chapter, allow students to think critically about computer science issues Designed to be compatible with a variety of programming languages, including Java, C++, and C "FYI" boxes call out points of interest to students and professors Brookshear's clear and friendly writing style invites majors and non-majors alike to learn more about computer science
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Customer Reviews
Average Customer Rating: 
computer science  2008-10-06
I recieved this book in a timely fashion and it was in excellent condition for the money I paid. I am very pleased with this purchase.
Comprehensive, but dry and esoteric  2008-09-11
While I have no doubt the author knows his stuff, I can't imagine this book having strong appeal with any one audience. On one hand, I can see how those already in the know about Computer Science would find this text too simple, since it spends most of its time explaining the nuts and bolts of the stuff they probably already know: binary language, bits and bytes, programming languages, and a heck of a lot of terminology.
It's even worse for those of us who don't know jack about CS and are trying to get an idea. Simply put, this book is dry and dense, and always getting bogged down in a level of detail that seems inappropriate for something calling itself an "overview." It's stuff you have to slow down or re-read to fully absorb, and I suspect it would turn off a lot of casual readers from exploring CS further. When it's finally over, you'll have learned very little about programming, which is a key reason many would pick up a title like this in the first place.
I don't think "Catch 22" is the proper term here. If it really is too simple for experts and too abstract and frustrating for beginners, "worst of both worlds" would capture it better.
9th ed. Author needs to take a writing class  2007-11-06
This book was required for my college introductory computer science class. Surprisingly enough, I had to purchase a different computer science book in order to understand this book. The author writes in circles and rarely states definitions plainly. Many times, Brookshear attempts two or three times to restate the information he is trying to convey, but this just makes the book even more confusing. It is not "fun" to read.
This book reminds me of the old, stodgy computer books of the 1990s. The paper is thin, and the font is very tiny and faint. The layout seems to be stuck in the 1990s as well. There are no chapter review sections that plainly compile major themes and no terms/definitions lists. A glossary would have been great. Also, there are no quick reference facts posted in the page margins. One plus is that the publisher put key terms in bold but, like I mentioned above, the author keeps you searching and searching for definitions.
To help ensure I passed my computer science class, I purchased Computer Science Illuminated, 3rd ed., by Nell Dale and John Lewis and had no problems at all understanding the topic or the writing. Computer Science Illuminated includes the same information as Brookshear's book but is 100 times easier to read and understand. Plus, it is "fun" to read. Computer Science Illuminated
For Computer Science Beginners  2007-05-26
This is a very good introductory survey course of Computer Science provided you're planning to major in CS. The reason I've rated the book at only 3 stars out of 5 is solely because of the first sentence in the Audience section of the Preface on page vii:
"I wrote this text for students of computer science as well as students from other disciplines."
That last clause (saying the book is also for non-CS types) is the killer. Basically, the book's level of detail far exceeds anything that any non-CS person would be willing to put up with. Mitigating that, the Organization section of the Preface on page viii lists those sections that non-CS students should read. The Table of Contents also has asterisks indicating suggestions for optional sections (though there's no indication in the actual text noting the optional nature of those sections). Still, overall, it feels like the author uses too technical a vocabulary for non-CS types even in those remaining sections.
Just to emphasize, this book is really for beginners in Computer Science. It's a survey book designed not to teach the material in depth, but to give the student enough knowledge of the material to wrap later courses around. But, that leads to another problem with the book. The book is written for someone with no knowledge of computers, BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, assumes that person is fairly familiar with the topic. In other words, if you don't know anything about computers, you'll soon be wallowing in an awful lot of technical concepts and terms and will probably get confused. On the other hand, if you're already somewhat familiar with the topic, the basic nature of the material will probably bore you. Sort of a Catch-22.
Still, if a person is just starting a Computer Science degree, this is probably a 4 star out of 5 book. For non-CSers, it would be a problem. For them, I'd recommend The Analytical Engine: An Introduction to Computer Science Using the Internet, Second Edition: An Introduction to Computer Science Using the Internet (with CD-ROM).
For the reviewer that has trouble comprehending... 2006-06-09
If one can't understand the style of writing maybe one should not be in a CS 100 level course or even close to the college level! If anything, as reviewed earlier, I found this style made it easier to read a CS text... as a lot of the texts are just too technical; but rightfully so. This text was a relief from the standard curriculum required reading. You think this is bad? Try an English Comp reading essay or assignment. CS needs more of this if the discipline expects to recruit a wider spectrum of students, as science and engineering is already scarce with students as it is. Bottom line, if you're used to the technical reading of the CS curriculum, this book will serve as a reading relief as it is a fast and EASY read. As another reviewer stated, one weekend and this book is finished. If your trouble with reading comprehension is severe enough you should not be reading CS material to begin with - take a course in English and read some extra-curricula novels to build up reading skills first, like fiction.
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