RE:

[Todd Chaffee <tchaffee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

IDE vs. no IDE to start learning Java.

My $.02. I would suggest doing a small project (with a few class files)
using notepad and compiling with the Sun JDK.  Once you get a feel for what
Java is, by all means learn an IDE ASAP so you can take advantage of the
productivity / usability gains.  Just keep in mind that to learn the IDE
you may have to take a short break from learning Java.

Here's some other reasons to do it W/O an IDE at first:

1) You understand how the basics work so that you can later appreciate what
the IDE is doing for you vs. what comes with Sun's JDK vs. what you wish
the IDE could have in the future.  Another way of putting it: you want
something changed, but unless you know the difference between the IDE and
Java, who should you suggest the change to?

2) Switching IDEs is easier if you know in the back of your mind what the
IDE is doing for you.  A new job or new client might mean a new IDE
(corporate standard) or no IDE at all.  I think it also gives a certain
level of confidence to know that given a basic editor and a java compiler,
you can write programs.

3) Learning Java itself is enough at first.  You should feel like you are
starting to get the hang of how to write a simple java program and compile
it before throwing an IDE into the mix.

I started with no IDE and then switched to Kava (a very minimal IDE) for a
couple of months and then struggled with VisualAge for a couple of days
before adopting it as my IDE of choice.  Now I think VisualAge is wonderful
but it does have a learning curve for sure.  I think the experience of
starting with no IDE helped me understand java more quickly than if I had
been struggling with an IDE at the same time.

- Todd Chaffee



Lead Consultant
Arkay Computer Consultants, Inc.
voice . . (201) 847-9798
fax . . . (201) 847-9701
email . . tchaffee@mars.superlink.net

+---
| This is the JAVA/400 Mailing List!
| To submit a new message, send your mail to JAVA400-L@midrange.com.
| To subscribe to this list send email to JAVA400-L-SUB@midrange.com.
| To unsubscribe from this list send email to JAVA400-L-UNSUB@midrange.com.
| Questions should be directed to the list owner: joe@zappie.net
+---