Organization

This book provides a learning path for a Java developer new to the Mac OS X platform. It assumes a basic working familiarity with Java.

Chapter 1: Covers the history of Mac OS X and provides a preliminary introduction to the platform.
Chapter 2: Explores the technical underpinnings of the Mac OS X Java implementation, including the layout, classpath, and additions to the standard Java environment.
Chapter 3: Explores the pragmatics of Java development, including how to set up your development environment, and an overview of available tools.
Chapter 4: Builds a local desktop application in Swing and examines how to extend this application while still retaining cross-platform capability.
Chapter 5: Discusses and gives examples of Apple's various additions to the Java platform.
Chapter 6: Looks at the potential pitfalls of developing applications that are intended for multiple platforms and examines how to mitigate them.
Chapter 7: Describes how to package and deliver an application to end users that looks and behaves like a native Mac OS X application.
Chapter 8: Examines how to build client applications that are delivered via the Web, including applets and Web Start applications.
Chapter 9: Discusses how to make an application generate human speech and respond to your speech.
Chapter 10: Examines an application that provides support for rich multimedia.
Chapter 11: Adds real-time support and interactive spellchecking to an application.
Chapter 12: Provides basic information on installation, setup, and usage of the popular MySQL and PostgreSQL databases.
Chapter 13: Builds and debugs a web application using standard Java presentation technologies.
Chapter 14: Examines the development process for creating Enterprise JavaBeans™ on Mac OS X, and details installation of the JBoss application server.
Chapter 15: Builds XML-RPC and SOAP web services and communicates with these services by using Apple's AppleScript scripting package.