Re: Best Java Guides for a Newby?

  • From: David Tseng <davidct1209@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Sat, 30 Jul 2011 18:35:21 -0700

Didn't see your message earlier.

Tutorials are great if you have a good foundation already in a similar
language; in the case of Java, I'd imagine experience with a C-styled
language.  However, if you're not understanding basic OOP concepts or
method signature syntax, then you should start off with a
comprehensive book.  A live class wouldn't hurt either.

On 7/30/11, Mike <foxwarrior09@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> David, that was exactly my point when addressing Brandon.  Tutorials tend to
> barely scratch the surface, where textbooks show different ways to use each
> language feature.  Please see my previous e-mail where I answered Brandon's
> questions.
>
> Thank you,
> Mike
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Tseng
> Sent: Saturday, July 30, 2011 8:16 PM
> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: Best Java Guides for a Newby?
>
> Also, forgot to add, you don't need an interface if you don't want.
> In fact, I'd suggest you stay away from them for the time being as you
> learn.  Again, probably best to work out the holes in your knowledge
> before venturing on writing your own examples.
>
>
> On 7/30/11, David Tseng <davidct1209@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> I'll take a shot at answering your questions:
>>
>> On 7/30/11, Brandon Keith (Biggs) <brandonboy13@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>> Hello,
>>> I finally had time to go past the HelloWorldApp in the tutorial. :D
>>> Now I'm trying to create my own classes then run them through my
>>> interface...
>>> But I'm a little confused:
>>>
>>> The HelloWorldApp had everything in it. It didn't need a interface, why
>>> do
>>> we need to make a separate interface for all our other classes?
>>>
>>
>> Not clear on the wording of the question.  In general, you write an
>> interface for the purposes of inheritance and polymorphism.  In other
>> words, it acts as a "blueprint" for other classes' implementation.
>>
>>> Why do we have to create an interface when the class already has the same
>>> code in it?
>>>
>>
>> This has to do with good object oriented design.  I'll get to
>> specifics in your example below.
>>
>>> Do you save all classes as a .java file then use javac to compile it into
>>> a
>>> .class file?
>>>
>> Yes.
>>
>>> What do you save interfaces as?
>>>
>>
>> The javac tool reads class and interface definitions and compiles them
>> into bytecode class files.
>>
>>> I created a class for my heater:
>>>
>>> /** creates the class for heater which has temperature, speed and onOff
>>> */
>>> class Heater }
>>>
>> Syntax error "}"; should be "{"
>>
>>> int temperature = 0
>>> int speed = 0
>>> int turned = on
>>>
>>> voide changeTemprature(int newValue) {
>>> temperature = newValue;
>>> }
>>>
>>> voide speedUp(int increment) {
>>> Speed = speed + increment;
>>> }
>>>
>>> voide slowDown(int decrement) {
>>> Speed = speed - decrement;
>>> }
>>>
>>> voide turnOn() {
>>> Turned = on;
>>> }
>>>
>>> voide turnOff() {
>>> Turned = off;
>>> }
>>>
>>> voide printStates() }
>>> System.out.println("temprature:"+temprature+" speed:"+speed+"
>>> turned:"+turned);
>>> }
>>> }
>>>
>>> Where do I put the lines like:
>>> public static void main(String[] args)
>>
>> You can include this in any class.  In your case, this Heater class
>> would do as good as any.
>>
>>> and
>>> System.out.println
>>> ?
>>
>> This method allows you to print a message to the console.  It's up to
>> you where you'd want output printed.
>>
>>> Also do I have the right idea with the word after void is the word I type
>>> to
>>> turnOn the heater?
>>> And the word after (int is the word that could be what ever I want it to
>>> be,
>>> it just needs to be the same below?)
>>> Example:
>>>
>>> voide slowDown(int pizza) {
>>> Speed = speed - pizza;
>>> }
>>> ?
>>
>> Not sure how the book you're reading introduces java constructs, but
>> you should perhaps read about methods.  Is this class something you
>> got from the book?  I'm not understanding your question, but sounds
>> like you're wondering what each of the parts of a class method
>> definition means:
>>  voide slowDown(int pizza) {
>> void is the return type
>> slowDown is the method name
>> int is a primitive type.
>> pizza is the name of the int.
>>
>> If you don't know what the above terms mean, you should dig through
>> the book you're using.  Any decent language programming book will
>> introduce these things in the first few chapters if not the first.>
>>
>>> If you have any question, the interface for the heater is:
>>>
>>> interface Heater }
>>>
>>> voide changeTemprature(int newValue);
>>>
>>> voide speedUp(int increment);
>>>
>>> voide slowDown(int decrement);
>>>
>>> voide turnOn();
>>>
>>> voide turnOff();
>>> }
>>>
>>
>> You'll want your Heater class to inherit from this class and you need
>> to name them differently.  "IHeater" and "Heater" for example.
>>
>> I'd suggest working through the book cover to cover instead of
>> creating your own examples.
>>
>>> Sorry, I didn't see answers to these questions in the tutorials and I
>>> need
>>> to know this to do anything!
>>> Thank you,
>>>
>>> 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: Sina Bahram
>>> Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 6:50 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
>>>
>>> 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
>>>
>>>   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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>>
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