Is there a forum out there for those of us who are complete newbies and feel that there is just TOO much to learn - I have jsut started learning Java and feel like Sisyphus at the moment...
Peace
miguel lisboa
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Joined: Feb 08, 2004
Posts: 1281
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i guess you'r at the right place
java amateur
Ernest Friedman-Hill
author and iconoclast
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Would it be a good idea to just try and readd all the posts daily and try and absorb background Java information that way? I am certainly not up to actually posting code replies yet
I am working my way through the Head First Java book - which led me to this site, I tried the Bruce Eckel: Thinking in Java book, but currently it is a bit beyond me, he seems to leap of the deep end a bit ( I dont have a C background so most of the syntax is new to me).
Apart from trying to write noddy code, are there any other useful techniques people could recommend to help pick up java quickly (I realise that this is highly subjective and depends a lot on the individuals IQ etc)
Colin, you have the best way, right in front of you, with Head First Java. Just keep reading try to do the exercises, and practice. Be patient, it may look like this huge mountain, but the only way to climb it is one step at a time. you will do fine. It takes a little while, but that is ok.
Thanks for the help guys. I think it just helps knowing that there are people out there who care - so to speak! I think it's because when you are learning on your won from books etc - even ones as well written as the Head First book, solitary learning can be a lonely thing.
Thank goodness for forums like JavaRanch!
I am off to dip into the warm waters of the beginners forum
It teaches in a simplistic non dogmatic way, the words don�t get in the way. I teaches in a Lisp style functional way. I would also recommend learning Jython because it give you the ability to dynamically interact with java libraries DOS style. Example >> print Math.Sqr(7)
2.645
If I was using java I would test all my classes and functions this way
miguel lisboa
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Joined: Feb 08, 2004
Posts: 1281
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Colin, you have the best way, right in front of you, with Head First Java. Just keep reading try to do the exercises, and practice. Be patient, it may look like this huge mountain, but the only way to climb it is one step at a time. you will do fine. It takes a little while, but that is ok.
i absolutely agree
take your time in rethinking what you just read/learned
dont get embarrassed: come out and post your doubts, silly they appear to you
java, at least at beginning, must be taken at small portions - one thing a time
dont discourage - try to exercise small, very small examples with what you just learned
get used to using the APIs
dont fall in the IDE trap - allways use command line!
keep your code so that later on you can re-read it and then have a measure of your overall improvement
i'm curious about your interest in java: is it for grabbing a programmer career or is just another hobby?
Gerald Davis
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Joined: May 15, 2002
Posts: 872
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Use an IDE but not your typical VB-style IDE, ware you drag and drop GUI components into forms. Use an IDE that gives you text highlighting, debugging tools like setting breakpoints, and the option to see the all methods in a class instance.
The problem with VB-style IDEs is they create GUI code that bloats your application thus making it hard to understand, manage, and bug ridden.
I will say it again, if you are not familiar Jython , I highly recommend that you do so. You will be able to learn many of the common features of Java without having to set up test programmes compile a run cycles. It also lets you build the swing GUI while it is running in the background better then the way that IDE would(some of the non IDE geeks in this forum are probably alread doing this).
If you are new to programming, I do not recommend Java as first language. The language (although better then C/C++) is simply too verbose longwinded and low level to start with.
Colin Cutbush
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Joined: Apr 12, 2005
Posts: 7
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Thanks for the comments above Miguel, in answer to your question my interest in Java is in advancement of my career as a developer.
For some years now I have been working mainly as a web developer - so have a good grasp of HTML, CSS, Photoshop etc, I really want to make the transition to working on more technical code.
I guess - and this is only in my own mind, I mean no disrespect to other web developers - I would like to get to a point where I can consider myself a programmer rather than a web developer.
As regards to IDE's I couldn't agree more, I code all of my code in TextPad - I find that not using fancy editors actually helps me to remember things
I should add that I am not looking to make this transition over night, so am not looking for the Sam's "Teach yourself Java, J2EE and Web Services in 21 Milliseconds" approach.
I think at the time of my first post above, I was feeling a little blue and that Java can look huge to absorb from the outside and I'm worried how you manage to remember all the important things!
I have to say that I have been really impressed with this site, and the helpful replies and suggestions that people have already made - it has really cheered me up, so thank you very much.
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