Java basics done, Whats next?

[Igor Mandic]

Hi everyone, I am new around here.
My name is Igor, I am 17 and I am from country known as Bosnia.
Umm, I am an intermediate in Java (If I can call myself so). I have knowledge in Java basics such as all the basics, Swing, AWT, JDBC, Generics and things quite like that (I think that I'll not make a mistake if I say Java SE). I also know basics of HTML (created few sites), basics of CSS and basics of XML.

Why I need your help now, good people, is that you tell me what should I learn next. In a future I'd like to do some Web application development, like going PRO with it.
Some folks suggest me JSP+Servlets, some suggest JSF, Some suggest JBoss Seam. Other even suggest going Flex or Flash or PHP or C#+Silverlight+[Something I can't remember] but I think its waste of time going to C# from Java. So, all in all, I am really confused. Please, I beg you, good people of the world, help me..

With respect,
Igor.

[Bear Bibeault]

Choose a fairly advanced web application project that would interest you or solve a problem that you have. Avoid any frameworks and use basic servlets and JSP, and follow best practices.

In trying to construct it, you will identify the areas where there are gaps in your knowledge. For example, I don't see any mention of JavaScript in your post, Without JavaScript, modern web applications are impossible.

After you have a grasp on all these basics, and have proven it to yourself with a complete an working web app, you will be in a position to evaluate any frameworks that you might want to learn from that point on. But it useless to adopt a framework right off the bat has that will just likely shield you from learning the basics.

[Igor Mandic]

Thank you very much "MASTER"!
I'll start that right away. You are right about JavaScript, I should study it. You are right about starting with basics using Servlets and JSP, I should study it.

But can you assist me here just a bit? Master, you said:

Bear Bibeault wrote:Choose a fairly advanced web application project that would interest you or solve a problem that you have.

Can you provide me something, I don't know where to start looking for it.
Teach me master.

[Bear Bibeault]

The best project is one that you are passionate about. I cannot choose such for you.

Some examples that worked for me, because they're what I'm passionate about:

I love to cook, so I've written many recipe archiving programs.

I'm a movie buff with way too many DVDs to keep track of, so I wrote a web app to keep track of them for me.

I love the Parker Brothers game BlackBox™, so I created an online implementation.

And on and on...

What trips your trigger?

[Campbell Ritchie]

And welcome to the Ranch

[Igor Mandic]

Thank you very much.
I think that I got some idea where to start... maybe with school subjects and marks calculation. Its simple enough...
I am so excited about this whole thing. This forum means a lot to me...

[Igor Mandic]

Tell me guys.. what do you think about this book?? Head First Servlets and JSP, 2nd Edition ... here is the link http://headfirstlabs.com/books/hfsvlt/

[Gaurav Raje]

personally, i find the whole Google App Engine quite promising given the fact that they just moved over from beta to prod. But that is just me. That can act as a base for other applications (services) which you might develop, like say android apps.
You will also get a small introduction to GWT while learning it.

[Igor Mandic]

Gaurav Raje wrote:personally, i find the whole Google App Engine quite promising given the fact that they just moved over from beta to prod. But that is just me. That can act as a base for other applications (services) which you might develop, like say android apps.
You will also get a small introduction to GWT while learning it.

I will surely check it out. Thank you so much.. Even google GO looks prommising..

[Gaurav Raje]

imho, go will be a totally new language... quite different from java. So if you want to branch off, go can be an answer. But if you want to build on what you already know, go is a lil out of the way.

[Igor Mandic]

Gaurav Raje wrote:imho, go will be a totally new language... quite different from java. So if you want to branch off, go can be an answer. But if you want to build on what you already know, go is a lil out of the way.

About that.. well I know. And I am going to try it for sure. Google makes good products (Except google wave), so, this one should not fail. Java is the Language of Languages, but the real question is for how long? Is it 15 more years, 10, 5, or just a few .. But Ill stick with Java as long as I can, becouse its my favourite language for sure..