When using Java to program the Internet one can use a number of alternative techniques to implement the connection; one person will tell you 'real program-mers use sockets', others say use RMI, your manager reading the OO journals may say what about COBRA? This text looks at these and other issues in detail.

Although the book starts with an introductory chapter (covering streams, threads and object serialisation) it assumes the reader has a good OO background and a working knowledge of Java programming. In turn, four chapters cover sockets (looking at TCP/IP, HTTP, client/server programming with TCP/IP and datagram programming with UDP), Java IDL (Interface Definition Language) and its use for CORBA programming, RMI (Remote Method Invocation) and JDBC (Java Database Connectivity). To reinforce the techniques covered each chapter re- implements an Internet Calendar Manager which enables a user to schedule appointments over a network. Chapters then cover a Java web server, Java Beans, 'The Networked Java World' (looking at other networking products), JMAPI (Java Management API - a suit of network management tools), Java hardware (JavaOS, JavaStation) and Java and Security. A final chapter reviews the alternative implementation techniques giving areas of application and discussing advantages and disadvantages.

A well-written and useful book for the developer of real-world networked applications and as a student text to support a networks module where Java is used as the implementation tool. I particularly liked the example re-implementation of each Internet implementation technique.