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Inside WAP: Programming Applications with WML and WMLScript

Average customer rating:

A complete waste of time for US developers
Some reviews misleading
Find something appropriate for North America
Find Another WAP Book
A complete package for self-study

Inside WAP: Programming Applications with WML and WMLScript
Pekka Niskanen
Manufacturer: Addison-Wesley Professional
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Learning WML and WMLScript
WAP 2.0 Development
WAP Servlets: Developing Dynamic Web Content With Java and WML (With CD-ROM)

ASIN: 0201725916

Amazon.com

One way to distinguish a technical book is by the gut feeling it gives its readers. Pekka Niskanen's high-quality Inside WAP makes you feel confident that you can, with study and diligence, make a living developing Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) programs for mobile telephones and other wireless devices. The book's explanations of the technologies that are involved, primarily Wireless Markup Language (WML) and WMLScript, are clear and technically accurate--Niskanen had the support of a technical reviewer from Nokia, as well as his own consultancy. If you have knowledge of HTML and JavaScript, you'll have absolutely no problem following the author's stepwise approach to his subject languages--and very little trouble figuring out WAP, if it's the environment for your first effort at application scripting.

Niskanen's approach to teaching WML and WMLScript is a popular and proven one. He explains the requirement for a particular language element, shows its general syntax, and presents a boiled-down example. Many readers will wish for straight language documentation that's better suited to alphabetical lookups, but what's here works. Probably, you'll need to acquire--either through education or hired talent--the skills that are needed to develop the server-side components of your WAP, even though this book does a remarkably good job of introducing Common Gateway Interface (CGI) programming with Java servlets and Perl. The server-side material here certainly should be enough to help you both figure out what you need and communicate intelligently with specialists. --David Wall

Topics covered: The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), particularly its client-side markup language (WML) and scripting language (WMLScript). All interface elements get attention, as well as WMLScript logic, events, and communications capabilities. Server-side coverage goes to Perl, Java servlet programming, and the Nokia WAP Server (which appears on the companion CD-ROM). Software examples were tested on the Nokia 7110 telephone, the Ericsson MC218 palmtop, and a couple of standard simulators.

Customer Reviews:

A complete waste of time for US developers.......2001-10-17

I completely agree with the reviewer that mentions the book is very Euro-centric. For domenstic developers, what's needed is coverage of Openwave browsers and HDML migration. Try "Dynamic WAP application Development" instead -- it's a nice reference to issues significant to the U.S. market.

Some reviews misleading.......2001-04-18

Previous reviews are somewhat misleading: One claims that software provided with the book comes without a licence - in fact the readme on the CD gives clear and simple instructions for obtaining the necessary licence (takes about 60 seconds). Another criticizes the book for only testing applications for use with Nokia and Ericsson handsets - in fact, as a glance at the back cover could tell you, every example in the book was also tested on a Phone.com (as was) emulator.

Find something appropriate for North America.......2001-04-07

Any WAP book that only tests code on Nokia and Ericsson handsets is completely misguided. Worldwide, a vast majority of handsets contain browsers from Openwave (formerly Phone.com). Any one writing real WAP applications needs to ensure that they run well on these handsets. We're talking about Motorola, Siemens, Samsung, Alcatel, Phillips, Sanyo, Denso, LG, etc, etc, etc...

Find Another WAP Book.......2001-03-27

This book is very poorly organized at best, and WRONG at other times. It is clearly a product of a quick attempt at bringing a title to market without significant editing. A semi-technical proofreader could see that there are many discrepancies, which by chapter 3 had me second-guessing nearly everything that was said. Even worse, the software that comes with this book seems to require a license which is not provided, which makes it useless.

A complete package for self-study.......2000-09-20

This book presents in 430 pages an easy and efficient way oflearning WAP programming. It can also be used as a reference, as itcovers all WML and WMLScript commands in the WAPspecifications. Numerous examples (including 90 pages of Perl-CGI and35 pages of Java Servlets) with source code visualize the process andform a basis for the reader's own implementations. Excellent readingfor beginners, students, lecturers and professionals. END

Average customer rating:

Inside WAP: Programming Applications with WML and WMLScript
Niskanen Pekka
Manufacturer: Addison-Wesley Professional
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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