Re: Learning java - any advice please?

[Richard Shaler <rshaler@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Pete, Everything you need to get started can be obtained for free. Here's a 
list of what you need to set up a development environment on a Windows PC.  1. 
Java2 SDK: available from the Sun Microsystem's web site, www.sun.com 2. 
Eclipse: this open source IDE is a great place to get started. It is the 
foundation of IBM's Websphere's development tools such as Websphere Development 
Studio Client for iSeries. So, the skills you pick up from using Eclipse will 
apply to the Websphere tools, if and when you decide to use them. Eclipse is 
available for download at www.eclipse.org.   3. The open source version of the 
IBM Toolbox for Java for iSeries. It can be downloaded from: 
http://www-124.ibm.com/developerworks/oss/jt400/index.html. I'd recommend a PC 
with 512 MB of memory, but you can get by on 256 MB.  -Richard Shaler
Pete Clifford <Pete@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:I've finally decided it's time I 
learnt java. I want to be able to write
client applications in java which interact with the AS/400.

However, I'm confused and unsure where to start.

First question. What software do I need to obtain and install on my PC to do
this? I thought I wanted VisualAge for Java, but it appears the goalposts
have moved and it's now some flavor of Websphere I need. Can anyone tell me
precisely what flavor? I want to develop under Windows - learning Linux at
the same time doesn't sound like my idea of fun. And I think I need the
equivalent of what used to be called the "Enterprise Toolkit for AS/400".
What do I ask for to get the iSeries bits?

Second question. Where do I get this software from? Can I buy it online?
You'll probably say "yes", but wait a minute - I'm in the UK and I can't
find anything that looks remotely like what I want on the IBM UK online
sales site. And the website appears to be down at the moment in any case.

Third question. If IBM are so eager for grey-haired old RPG-ers like me to
switch on to this brave new world of java, why do they make it so
complicated?!

Any help gratefully received by a poor decripit S/38 guy who's almost ready
to give up before he's even started!

Pete





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