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| Learning to Program with Alice, Brief Edition | 
 enlarge | Authors: Wanda P Dann, Stephen Cooper, Randy Pausch
Publisher: Prentice Hall
Category: Book
List Price: $34.00
Buy New: $29.11
You Save: $4.89 (14%)
New (10) Used (8) from $21.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 76105
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 160
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 9.9 x 7.8 x 0.4
ISBN: 0132397757
Dewey Decimal Number: 005.117
EAN: 9780132397759
ASIN: 0132397757
Publication Date: July 3, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: All orders ship same business day via standard shipping (USPS Media Mail) if received by 1 PM CST.
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Product Description
This book takes an innovative approach to fundamental programming concepts using 3D animation. Introduces the basic concepts of object-oriented programming as related to today’s multimedia world. Explains how to use the Alice environment to explore the fundamentals of programming. Provides illustrations and step-by-step demonstrations to explore topics in depth. For anyone interested in programming using the Alice environment
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
 Should be required reading for every person teaching computer science August 16, 2008
Since I first saw Alice demonstrated at a small college computer conference, I have remained convinced how innovative it is. Using the pre-existing objects a novice needs only a bit of direction in order to create functioning programs that generate animation. When I obtained a copy of this book I immediately started reading it and working through the programs. The Alice environment is very easy to use, there were very few times when I had to ponder my next move or consult the help.
I am also convinced that Alice is the way in which young people; especially females can be lured into computer science. There is the misperception that computer science is only for math nerds, yet a large number of people use their computer expertise to generate artificial worlds (movies) like those created in Alice.
The Alice development environment is free and is on the CD included with the book. If you want to see the future of computer science and what will lure the next generation into a career in computers, then get this book and experience of power of Alice. It will truly take you to the world of wonderland.
Great service but misread item March 15, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
I got the books quickly and in good shape. However, I did not see the Brief Edition explanation. The brief only has 5 of the 10 chapters. If I had seen this I would have ordered the full version.
 Useless ... for a basic programmer January 28, 2008
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
If you know the ABCs of programming already, this book is useless for you. Alice is soooo simple, it's absolutely easy for you to figure out on your own how each element in Alice works. On the other hand, if you don't know what "Java" or "C++" is, ummm ... buy this book.
Actually, even if you don't know any programming language at all, but are moderately smart, you can figure out how Alice works since Alice has an inbuilt tutorial, which is fairly simple to follow and covers almost everything you need to know in Alice. (The rest 20% that is left out in the tutorial, you can figure out by trial and error.)
 Doesn't Teach Alice At All December 7, 2007
1 out of 5 found this review helpful
I will admit, there are some good definitions in here for the different concepts in programming. However, this is NOT a good way to actually learn Alice.
The exercises are not explained in the text unless they are an extension of the chapter problem. The text teaches very little about how to use Alice. If the Alice interface wasn't so clunky, it would be easy to figure out. None of the examples relate to any of the actual exercises. A case in point is the fish problem in chapter 2. There is no explanation given on how a fish can supposedly "jump" in Alice.
The CD does not include a Mac version of Alice. If the computers being used in a course do not have internet connectivity, this is a problem for Mac users. Also, the index is poor and there is no glossary.
Don't waste your money on this excuse for a programming manual. Get yourself a real textbook on the subject.
Used it as textbook. Excellent! July 20, 2007
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
"One of Alice's real strengths is that it has been able to make abstract concepts concrete in the eyes of first- time programmers. " - Forward to the book.
I used this book as a textbook in a one-semester introduction to programming course in my high school. I intend to use it again next year. Here is why:
Each chapter begins with a motivational overview of the chapter's topic and end with exercises and projects. Storyboards are used to provide an algorithmic step-by-step description of the example animation. Screenshots of code and visual setting allowed students to recreate and closely follow the covered topic.
Student had their copies of the book open next to their workstations. Throughout the course, they were focused, on task and having fun. This made my experience teaching the course very rewarding. Answers to end of chapter exercises, projects and instructional support material are available to instructors on [..]
With no hesitation I give it 5 stars.
M. Kadri (High School Teacher, New York, NY USA)
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