Help with Java please.

Discussion in 'Software' started by ColonelAngus, Jun 17, 2003.

  1. ColonelAngus

    ColonelAngus Beefy

    When I was in university I took a class in computer progamming. I thought it was going to be a course on basic computers. I was wrong. When I realized what the hell was going on it was to late to change the class. I stayed in for a while but it was to much work in such a short time for me. I knew nothing about computers. I dropped the class and got the defaulted F for dropping.

    I'm not in school anymore and still have the text book. I'd like to learn on my own sinse I have the time to now. I remember that you used MS DOS or something to write Java script.

    Do I need to download a program to write Java? If so, and I think you do from what I remember, where can I get it and what is it called? If Java is not the best can someone suggest a better programing language?

    Thanks for listening.:D
     
  2. iamien

    iamien Cptn "Eh!"

    This is a big debate.
    What do you want to do? make web stuff, make win32 stuff, dos etc.
    For java, learn HTML first. your'll need it
     
  3. ChViRuS

    ChViRuS Private E-2

    you can write java programs in notepad. You'll need to download a compiler to convert that into byte-code (that's what runs on the virtual machine). Do a search on google for "free java compiler".

    You don't use MS-DOS to write Java or JavaScript. You write both in a word processor (e.g. Notepad). Javascript is typically run in the browser that downloaded the web-page your JS was in. What you may be thinking of, is with Java, one of the first things you probably learnt was to output characters to the screen. The standard libraries you'll invariably used are the ones that output to a MS-DOS command line. But most Java programs will use graphics (in a Window), or simply have no screen output (or keyboard input).
     
  4. ColonelAngus

    ColonelAngus Beefy

    I'm looking at the text book right now and it says it's an introductory programming book. It covers the basics of programming techniques, data types and control staements, and moves on to object-oriented features of java language.

    So, to answer Iamien, I don't realy know what I want to do. I just want some sort of understanding of computer language and how programs work. My java book teaches the basics so I thought that I would start there, the basics, and if I can handle that then maybe expand into one of the areas you mentioned.

    I forgot about the compiler! I will look for one and something on HTML.

    Thanks you guys.
     
  5. iamien

    iamien Cptn "Eh!"

    you have a book. learn java then. it'll give you spome knowledge of OOP
     
  6. iamien

    iamien Cptn "Eh!"

    agreed if you learn how to write code using an IDE all you truley learn is the IDE
     
  7. datagrok

    datagrok Private E-2

    No, it's easy.

    Go get the J2SE SDK (Java 2, standard edition "software development kit") from http://java.sun.com.This is free.

    You can use anything that edits plain text files to write your java source code. That includes notepad, dos edit, "programmers' text editors," and IDEs (Integrated Development Environments). It is best to learn without and IDE, then move to using one as you find yourself doing repetetive tasks and developing large software packages. (Though some of us stick to our trusty multi-purpose text editors.)

    Finally, go through the Java tutorial at http://java.sun.com, using your book for support if you get stuck.

    Java is an excellent "first language" to learn, and it's used in many enterprise-level applications. You learn to think like a computer scientist to solve problems. Rather than (warning: inflammatory bias!) like the hacks who cobble stuff together with Visual Basic and call it "object oriented."

    You don't need to know HTML before knowing Java. Whoever said that may be confused and thinking about Javascript instead, which is something entirely different and unrelated to Java.

    Finally, once you have been through the tutorial and book, (and not before!) you may want to seek advice from peers on chat networks like IRC. There's lots of rooms out there with people willing to help out clueful newbies.

    (I'm suprized your book did not tell you all of this.)

    Python is also a good "first language" to learn, it's easy to play with that language interactively as you learn. But Java is in much wider use.
     
  8. ColonelAngus

    ColonelAngus Beefy

    Thank you datagrok, your timing was excellent.:D I had gone to the website you mentioned and downloaded Java a little while ago but recently I erased my hard drive, forgot what the website was called, lost my copy of java that I downloaded, and thought I would have to do a Yahoo search (which I hate!). Now I just follow your link and I'm done. :)

    Thanks for your help and input on my Java inquiries. It is much appreciated. :D
     

MajorGeeks.Com Menu

Downloads All In One Tweaks \ Android \ Anti-Malware \ Anti-Virus \ Appearance \ Backup \ Browsers \ CD\DVD\Blu-Ray \ Covert Ops \ Drive Utilities \ Drivers \ Graphics \ Internet Tools \ Multimedia \ Networking \ Office Tools \ PC Games \ System Tools \ Mac/Apple/Ipad Downloads

Other News: Top Downloads \ News (Tech) \ Off Base (Other Websites News) \ Way Off Base (Offbeat Stories and Pics)

Social: Facebook \ YouTube \ Twitter \ Tumblr \ Pintrest \ RSS Feeds