RE: Best Java Guides for a Newby?

  • From: "Ken Perry" <whistler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 7 Jul 2011 13:33:32 -0400

But the point is no matter if you use eclipse or a text editor you still
have to know those same things.  I admit I use a text editor for a large
part of my coding.  But I find that is because when I learned to code there
were no good IDE's that are accessible like now.  On one hand people are
saying they love Python because it's so easy to learn.  Part of the reason
it's easy to learn is python does most of the work for you.  If it doesn't
do it you can get help directly in the interpreter.  So on that hand they
are arguing for using a powerful tool that helps you do almost everything by
converting everything into a string.  On the other hand you don't want them
to use tools that will make their life easier in the long run if they get
used to them early on for another language.  Oh well I am not going to
continue with this because I am out voted and I still use a text editor for
many things.  I still think if your learning a language even for the first
time you should learn to use the tools that exist for it. 

 

ken  

 

  

 

    

From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Sina Bahram
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 1:18 PM
To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: Best Java Guides for a Newby?

 

Right, but I was saying your example makes using a particular sdk easier to
use. The question was aimed at knowing the difference between a class and a
method, or knowing that the parenthesis matter, and so on, not figuring out
the difference between toString to toLower

 

One is using an SDK, the other is learning the language in the first place
before one uses the SDK of choice, whether it's java's or android's or
whatever.

 

Take care,

Sina

 

From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Ken Perry
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 10:40 AM
To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: Best Java Guides for a Newby?

 

Um what does sdk have to do with it if you use it to find out what the base
object of java has in it?  Sure my example was talking about an sdk but all
the base classes work the same.

 

For example if I have string and want to know how to format something its
there.

 

 

Ken

 

From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Sina Bahram
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 9:51 AM
To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: Best Java Guides for a Newby?

 

That's not learning a language Ken, that's learning an SDK, which implies
one already knows how to use the language.

 

I think you should start off with text as well, so that six months later you
aren't asking basic questions like why doesn't this class run, because you
never had to put a mian method in it since Eclipse always did that for you,
etc. etc.

 

Of course, that implies that you actually want to learn the fundamentals of
the language, and not just code.

 

Take care,

Sina

 

From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Ken Perry
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 7:17 AM
To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: Best Java Guides for a Newby?

 

I have to disagree with this.  There is nothing like using eclipse when
you're learning a language.  Let's say you are in Android and need to make
an Application.  Ok so you start it up and there is an Activity class.
You're in your text editor what do you do?

 

You go out on line or into a document and try to read up on all the possible
functions you can run in an activity.   Not bad but why not make it quicker.

 

Just arrow to your myactivity and use the source menu and go down and select
override members.  Then you can arrow through the list of things you have
that you can do in that class.  You check a few and tab down and hit ok.
Now you have 6 stub functions that work perfect.  You then go down to the
keydown function that you just added  and arrow over keyEvent and select
help it tells you all the functions  

 

Eclipse and Visual studio are  not just environments but they are  great
learning tools.  Not to mention learning the environment now with an easy
program will  speed up both development of a harder program but it also
teaches you how to download other peoples projects and get them running.  

 

Heck for that matter if you don't use eclipse you have to learn another way
to compile your project.  Which normally means you start compiling at the
command line with javac.  That sounds easy but how many of you have tried
this and ran into the java path problems.  That is not something you want to
get a new user into right away.  Then if you want to get real bold and use
ant as a new programmer you better have a lot of antacid.

 

So I guess in short I just wanted to say sure Eclipse is a big pig but the
gains for a new coder is pretty high if you learn to use it.  Now if you're
on a Mac sorry to hear it while I like Mac I have not been impressed with
the amount of work I had to go through to get Eclipse set up.  I use it on
both Mac and Windows but I will tell you there is nothing like Eclipse and
Jaws 12.  I use no scripts and do just fine.

 

Ken

 

From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Homme, James
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 6:49 AM
To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: Best Java Guides for a Newby?

 

Hi Brandon,

This is my opinion, so take with a grain of salt. Right at the beginning
with Java, I feel that you should use a text editor. Personally, I prefer
EdSharp, but there  are lots of good ones. Learn to use the command line
tools that come with the Java Development Kit. After you have written some
programs, and you know what's going on with basic Java, start to use
something like Eclipse or Net Beans. I have no experience with SodBeans, but
I understand that that package for NetBeans is making a big difference in
NetBeans accessibility. So scrap fancy editors for now.

 

Jim

 

From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Brandon Keith
(Biggs)
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 12:17 AM
To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Best Java Guides for a Newby?

 

Thanks and I started reading those, the only problem is I use Eclipse and
these talk about the Netbeans IDE which I think it is inaccessible. 

My big question is: What are all the differences in the different things you
can create with the new menu in Eclipse? There are like projects, classes,
Java projects and all kinds of other things that aren't really talked about
with Java.

Thanks,

 

Brandon Keith Biggs

 

Check out
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/brandonkeithbiggs
Also add me on facebook! 
brandonkeith
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=675097942
And for my resume go to: 
http://www.sfcasting.com/brandonkeith 

 

From: Homme, James <mailto:james.homme@xxxxxxxxxxxx>  

Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2011 9:36 AM

To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Subject: RE: Best Java Guides for a Newby?

 

Hi,

I think that, as with many things, this is one of those things that can be
different, depending on the learning style and knowledge of the person. 

 

Speaking just for myself, I get more out of tutorial style books, when I'm
learning a language. I tend to freeze up at reference type material that is
full of code and short on words, but that's my taste. 

 

According to me, you will probably do well with the nutshell books, if you
already know lots of programming concepts and want to see how certain things
are done in Java. On the other hand, you may do better if you have little
programming experience by looking at the Java Tutorial, which takes things a
concept at a time and explains them with lots of words and examples. You can
see that at http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/reallybigindex.html. 

 

Thanks.

 

Jim 

 

From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of qubit
Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2011 12:30 PM
To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Best Java Guides for a Newby?

 

I would recommend if you have a subscription to bookshare.org, that you
download a copy of "Java in a Nutshell".  It is a nice summary of features
with some examples.  I was going to read "Thinking in Java, 4th edition",
which I forked $25 for online, but got a package that I cann't display on my
system.  I have been unable to read more than the preface, and most the
time, the html just freezes things.  So I'm pitching it.  A shame as it
sounds like a useful guide to using java the way it is meant to be used.

 

Online there are also common tasks implemented in java, which you can find
in http://commons.apache.org/

Good luck and happy hacking.

--le

 

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Florian Beijers <mailto:florianbeijers@xxxxxxxxx>  

To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2011 6:44 AM

Subject: Re: Best Java Guides for a Newby?

 

Hello Brandon, 

 

Do you have any form of IM or perhaps skype? I would like to help you but
it's easier for me to recommend something if i know a bit more about your
background. 

 

Florian

On Jul 6, 2011, at 8:04 AM, Brandon Keith (Biggs) wrote:

 

Hello,

I'm new to programming, (I have just made it past "Hello World") and am
looking for some guides.

I would like to learn Java, but I'm not quite sure where to start. I
downloaded the 500 or so documents from the "Java Documentation" at:

http://www.nonvisualdevelopment.org/node/20

as well as reading all the tutorials on Eclipse and Java.

I've installed the SDK 1.6 and Eclipse, is there anything else I need? I see
there are Jaws scripts for Eclipse, where do I insert those?

I arrowed through the 500 documents dealing with Java and found:

Java Tutorial 3rd Edition, a short course on the basics

but I see it was written in 2001 and only deals with Java 1.3 and Windows
2000 and before. Is this something I should read? What books best describe
the language in an exciting and useful format? I'm wanting to eventually
program for Android, but I think that is stepping a little ahead of myself.

Where do I start?

Thanks,

 

Brandon Keith Biggs

 

Check out
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/brandonkeithbiggs
Also add me on facebook! 
brandonkeith
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=675097942
And for my resume go to: 
http://www.sfcasting.com/brandonkeith 

 

 

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