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Re: Absolute beginner question

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Patricia Shanahan wrote:
> Helpful person wrote:
>> On Mar 21, 2:36 pm, Patricia Shanahan <p...@acm.org> wrote:
>>> Helpful person wrote:
>>>> I have done a lot of programming in the past including a limited
>>>> amount of object oriented programming.  I have never used Java and
>>>> wish to learn this language/environment.  A search on line has taken
>>>> me to the NetBeans site.  There they suggest installing the "Java
>>>> Development Kit (JDK)" and the "NetBeans IDE".
>>>> I am quite capable of teaching myself from books and online
>>>> information.  However, is this the best way to start?
>>> ...
>>>
>>> I suggest writing a few Java programs using whatever approach you are
>>> most used to. If you have done a lot of command line and text editor
>>> programming, I would start that way. If you are used to using an IDE,
>>> then start by installing NetBeans or Eclipse.
>>>
>>> Once you get to the point of having more than a couple of classes, you
>>> should switch to an IDE, even if you are not used to one.
>>>
>>> Patricia
>>
>> Patricia, thanks for the reply.  Maybe I should give more
>> information.  I have previously written complex programs using
>> Fortran, an antiquated language and of little use today.  I have also
>> used Visual Basic, an excellent alternative (for the non C programmer)
>> and close to object orientated.  I have experience creating objects,
>> classes, collections etc. with an amateur's attempt at programming
>> "correctly".
> 
> Have you used Visual Studio? If so, I recommend going straight to an IDE.
> 
>>
>> I'm not sure what using an IDE entails.  Are you suggesting that I
>> should not yet move to this stage?  I'm certainly happy to start right
>> at the beginning if this helps me to understand better, even though it
>> can be frustrating.
> 
> Use of an IDE is generally orthogonal to Java understanding. It is a
> trade-off between an initial learning curve, and tools that make
> managing complex project easier. An IDE will save you time by doing
> things like displaying the documentation for a method whenever you hover
> on a call to it.

Incidentally, if you have been doing a lot of Visual Basic programming,
watch out for case-sensitivity in Java. It matters.

Patricia

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Thread

Absolute beginner question Helpful person <rrrlllfff@gmail.com> - 2012-03-21 11:24 -0700
  Re: Absolute beginner question Patricia Shanahan <pats@acm.org> - 2012-03-21 11:36 -0700
    Re: Absolute beginner question Helpful person <rrrlllfff@gmail.com> - 2012-03-21 12:06 -0700
      Re: Absolute beginner question glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-03-21 19:35 +0000
      Re: Absolute beginner question Patricia Shanahan <pats@acm.org> - 2012-03-21 12:37 -0700
        Re: Absolute beginner question Patricia Shanahan <pats@acm.org> - 2012-03-21 12:39 -0700
      Re: Absolute beginner question markspace <-@.> - 2012-03-21 14:07 -0700
  Re: Absolute beginner question Helpful person <rrrlllfff@gmail.com> - 2012-03-21 17:52 -0700
  Re: Absolute beginner question Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2012-03-22 21:06 -0700
    Re: Absolute beginner question Gene Wirchenko <genew@ocis.net> - 2012-03-22 22:19 -0700

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