RE: Learning java - any advice please?

Books are helpful but I found when I needed to do something, I went to the web 
looking for example code.  It's pretty
much out there.  I find that mimicking examples helped me to understand the 
favor of the language and learn what's
posssible.  If I came up against something I didn't understand, I'd hit the 
Javadoc or web resources.  Of course, this
mail list is full of friendly people who want to help.  

Once I had a reasonable idea of how Java worked how things worked together, I 
started to play (read: experiment) with
some of the more interesting things about the language (abstract classes, 
threads, interfaces, etc.) It was Just-in-Time
coding; when I needed something, I would research/build it as I needed it.

If you learn better by hands on (as I do), I recommend using an IDE (like 
eclipse).  For me, the IDE lessened the
learning curve and I could experiment without wrapping myself around a 
syntactical axle.  It's one thing to read the
theory behind inheritance.  It's another to single-step through a program and 
watch it happen. Also, an IDE won't let
you make dumb mistakes, like the time I tried to implement method in an 
interface.  Didn't have to go through the
compile-run, compile-run cycle.  I just let the IDE guide me to the correct 
solution (of course, the web helps here as
well).  Finally, using notepad is just plain painful... why do it?  You don't 
use a slide rule to learn calculus.  There
are certainly benefits to using a primative approach but you need to reduce as 
many barriers to learning as you can.
It's tough enough to learn a new language *and* a new way of coding/thinking 
without hobbling yourself right out the
gate. 

As with any language it helps to have an application in mind.  It drives you to 
researching and exploring
solutions/patterns that help you to build your toolbox of solutions.  I needed 
to hit the database, so I had to learn
about JBDC.

Of course, YMMV and standard disclaimers apply.

good luck!!!

dan