Re: A Dialogue

Joe Pluta skrev den 25-09-2007 20:41:

Yup. Which is why I have a real problem with people saying Java is "hard"
because the concepts aren't any harder than any other language (since
they're the same), and in fact they're probably easier because they're so
rigidly defined. The syntax is finicky, but as we agree, syntax is arguably
the least important component of programming.

A major reason for Java being hard to use is the enormous size of the runtime library, which just grows and grows and grows. Did you know that you can do XSLT transformation, schedule tasks to be run every night at 2 AM, and parse HTML just with the standard Java libraries? [1]

The base language is not bad, but all those things you have to know to use it. E.g javac expects a file but java expects a class name (which should be in the CLASSPATH - shame on you if you think that "java test.class" actually sound reasonable)

And the list goes on and on and on. But I'm not complaining - it is a serious powertool which can do very heavy lifting.

I guess Java just appeals to the orderly part of my soul <grin>.

Well, Java somehow has managed to be a MAINTAINABLE language - no idea how, but you can throw most code at just about any[2] java programmer and they have a chance for dealing with it. There is a great advantage in the general naming actually meaning what the class do.
[1] Bonus points are given for listing the first Java version having these things. No peeking!

[2] Not novices but reasonably trained.