How did you learn Java?

[Xdream]

Hey guys,
I just had the idea to learn Java and would like to get some good advice. Any help to get into the stuff (some first steps or things like that) would be great!
Well, I know VB and some parts of HTML...

Thanks,
Xdream

[Wynd]

I took a class on it and I think it is better than teaching yourself because the assignments you do help you apply what you have learned.

[Wynd]

Well my class was through school so it was free

[Dillinger4]

Graduated with honors from a local technicial school. Learned as
much as i could in 16 months. COBOL, VB(VBA Access), Java,C++.
But came to find out that unless you have a Bachleors degree in
computer science or a good work history forget about getting a programming job. So im now pondering the thought of going for a computer science degree.

Required Java Reading:

JAVA Swing by Eckstien,Loy and Wood (O'Reilly)
JAVA I/O by Elliotte Rusty Harold (O'Reilly)

Good refrences:

JAVA in a nutshell by Flanagan (O'Reilly)


Good Luck!

[VirtuallyVB]

I started with http://java.sun.com when I was a practicing Mechanical Engineer simply using programming as a tool in the background. Now I return there (specifically to http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutor...page-spotlight and their many resources) to use Java for my main bread and butter (the foreground) although I have bought other books.

[Xdream]

Thank you!

I'll take a look at some Java-Websites and try out some examples there... yeah, and reading a book is quite a good idea, too (why not asking some friends to get one )

I'm sure there will appear some easy questions 4u while I'm trying to get through the stuff so, please be patient with me...

Regards,
Xdream

[DB9633]

did u guys find the transition from C++ to java diffacult???

[Skeen]

HI

I didn't particularly find it hard. I think Java ia easier than C++, and I fel from a straight cding point of view it is not too dissimilar.

[Dillinger4]

I never really got to deep into C++ to find the transition to difficult.I think if you are a Java programmer making the transition to C then it's a little harder. From what ive seen about the C language there were a lot of things that i didnt like. This is just a short list of some of the things that might make Java more appealing for you to want to work with.

No preprocessor directives: Java treats constant definitions as
static final fields.

No global variables: Java defines an extreamly clean namespace.
Packages contain classes, classes contain methods and fields methods
contain variables. Thus there is no possibility for namespace
collisions.

Well-defined primative type sizes:
All the primative types in Java have well defined sizes. In C, the size
of int, short ,long types is platform dependent, which hampers portability.

Foward References: The Java compiler is smarter then the C compiler in
it allows methods to be invoked before being defined. This elimates the need
to define function in a header file before defining them in a program file, as
is done in C.

No method pointers: C allows the programmer to store the address of a function in a
variable and pass that function pointer to other functions. You cannot do this with
java methods but you can acheive similiar results by passing an object that implements
a particular interface.

Variable declarations anywhere: C only permitts local variable declarations to be at
the beginning of a method or block. Java allows the variable declarations anywhere
within a method or block. --NOTE-- most programmers perfer to keep variable
declarations at the top of a block or method however.

Garabage Collection: The Java Virtual Machine performs "Garabage Collection" or
deallocation of memory automatically. This elimates the need for Java programmers to
explictly manage memory used by all object and arrays. For instance an object is
eligible for garabage collection if there are nolonger any variables that hold a
refrence to that object.

Method overloading: Java programs can define multiple methods with the same name
as long as the methods have diffrent parameter lists.

[steekyjim]

I'm doing BSc Software Engineering, we are using a book called "Java by Dissection" to learn Java. Java is a lot more difficult than VB and can easily be decompiled but apparantly it is the most employable language. You can get notes on it off a lot of university sites o teach you the basics of the language but without a book and example codes you will not be able to learn the language. Don't go out and buy a big, thick book because they are generally harder to learn from.

[filburt1]

Originally posted by Xdream
Hey guys,
I just had the idea to learn Java and would like to get some good advice. Any help to get into the stuff (some first steps or things like that) would be great!
Well, I know VB and some parts of HTML...

Thanks,
Xdream

I knew C++ and VB, and my team at work used Java. So I had to learn it or be fired.

[Radames]

If you have no C/C++ knowledge, Java will be a LOT tougher to learn. Take a class or something.

[Xdream]

Well, I don't know much about C/C++

I know Pascal, VB and parts of Basic, QBasic and HTML.
The only thing I learned taking class was Pascal (and math ), this was the basic I've used to get knowledge about programming. The rest I've got from books, forums, descriptions and so on...

How did you learn programming (VB, Java, others)?

Xdream

[filburt1]

Ignore everything you learned in Pascal. It is a piece-of-**** language and no professional uses it.

Actually, Java might be easier to learn at first. BUT DO NOT START WITH APPLETS! Use system.out.println (like Debug.Print or PrintLn) instead of graphics. That way you can learn the basics.

Get a book by Sams Publishing!

[Radames]

I first learned HTML and JavaScript before taking computer classes. The first class I took was called programming logic, then C++.

A lot of things that I had a hard time learning by myself were made clear in these courses.
If I have a homework on C++, I do it in VB, JavaScript and Java just to practice.

It is good that you are trying to learn by yourself but for some things it is better having a teacher with you.

[Xdream]

Ignore everything you learned in Pascal. It is a piece-of-**** language and no professional uses it.

That's exactly what I'm thinking about Pascal, too! It was good to start programming but now, it's really boring...

Xdream

[filburt1]

Originally posted by Xdream
It was good to start programming

Actually, I think it even retarded for that. At my school, computer science starts with VB, then *gag* Pascal, then one to two C++ classes, and at my school specifically, Java is the end of the line. I asked a Pascal teacher this (I almost exactly quote): "No offense, but what professional actually uses Pascal?" And she smiled and replied "Nobody." True story.

[Xdream]

I didn't really like Pascal at school. The things we made there were so boring - painting with an arrow on screen called "Turtle", no! I'm really happy to know VB... I can't imagine one application where Pascal would be better to use than VB or C/C++

[filburt1]

Originally posted by Xdream
I didn't really like Pascal at school. The things we made there were so boring - painting with an arrow on screen called "Turtle", no!

That's not boring, it's art!

[The_Fog]

I had worked in VB, and I hadto implement a balanced binary tree in my application, so I tried to write a com-object in VJ++. Haven't read any books or so.. Just asked friends, forums, mailinglists, and so on..
Plus I had some experience from c++, so it was quite easy to start coding java for me..

[Randy_Bartels]

Delphi is pretty popular

[Dillinger4]

Delphi does seem to be pretty popular. What is it exactly?
I heard it's turbo Pascal. It that correct? I know borland developed it. Thats about it.

[Radames]

Anybody know anything about Power Builder?

[Dillinger4]

Is he the WYND in your Sail?

[sail3005]

errr...umm..no. I'm not like that.

[Dillinger4]

I didnt mean it that way.

[Wynd]

hehe

[sail3005]