This updated guide supports an innovative approach to fundamental programming concepts. The authors use program visualization to create an easy relationship between program construct and the animation action in a 3D world.  For consistency with Java, C++, and other commonly used languages, "questions" are now "functions." Save and reload bugs have been fixed. Fonts can be scaled larger or smaller. High contrast mode is available for projection in the classroom.  A useful how-to guide for programmers interested in learning Alice.

Customer Rating:
Summary: great book & service
Comment: Book was delivered quickly & in great shape. While others in my classes were still waiting to get thier book, from the book store on the first day; I had my a week before class & was ready to get started. Thank you for your great service.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Should be required reading for every person teaching computer science
Comment: 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.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Great service but misread item
Comment: 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.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Useless ... for a basic programmer
Comment: 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, Alice has an inbuilt tutorial, which is fairly simple to follow and covers most of what this book does.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Doesn't Teach Alice At All
Comment: 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.

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