Eclipse is in your future! Whether you're an OO guru, a Java neophyte or a professional business programmer, there's a good chance that you will be using Eclipse some day soon. IBM spent millions of dollars on Eclipse before releasing it into the open source community, and you can take advantage of all of that development. But how do you get started?

The hardest part in learning a new language or a new tool is the beginning steps. And with open source software, sometimes you don't even know enough to know what questions to ask. If you are new to Java, you may not know a JDK from a JRE from a JAR. And it can take months to learn, because there are few training manuals. Open source doesn't come with a nice binder and a jewel case CD; first you have to know what you need, then you have to search to find all the software, then struggle through less than complete installation documentation and online "FAQs". Even the tutorials make assumptions about your experience.

And that's where Eclipse: Step by Step is different. It brings together all the pieces for you. Think of it as training wheels for Eclipse. The book includes all required software on the handy included CD, as well as detailed installation and configuration instructions. Nothing is taken for granted –- by the end of this book, you will have written a complete, working application, and will know all the basics that will allow you to continue at your own pace. Tutorials will actually teach you things now, and FAQs will answer questions that you can understand.