I am having some difficulty keeping both
Java 1.4 and Java 5.0 in my head at the same time. There so many enhancements, rule relaxations, and new preferred approaches (e.g., generics) to Java issues that the danger of writing incorrect Java 1.4 code is significant for me. C and C++ do not present me with the same cognitive dissonance issues because they are really different from Java.
So I have to make a choice - which version to study in areas such as web programming, swing, collections, and
j2ee. Has Java 5 made serious inroads into the working world or should the practical student stick to Java 1.4? How will this affect the interview process? What version of Java should be taught to students looking for a programming career in a year or two?
Thanks for your advice.