Thanks, all, for your suggestions! I've actually tried a little BlueJ at school, and here's what I think of it +good for testing, IMO, because it makes it very easy/user friendly, and it's easy to make input. -very annoying to actually type out code in, because the editor is in a separate window, annoying layout, etc. +very easy to see what classes refer to each other, nice graphical representation, etc. I do, in fact, have multiple desktops. Thanks to the SabayonLinux team, I am actually running XGL, so I have that sexy cube, as well ;). On the grander scale, here is what I gather from your (everybody's advice): -focus on the language, or programming logic itself, but not the IDE -keep up with the advancements, as it can make things a lot easier. Also, I know I'm already using the IDE as a crutch when I don't know the commands to run(compile?) Java source without clicking some sort of run button. What is the actual command for this? Also (again): does anyone have an opinion of GTK vs. Qt? The class prior to this was Windows Programming, which I assume was there just to learn some very basic programming concepts the easy way with vs.NET. In that class I made a simple GUI Hangman game. I'm interested in rewriting/cloning this for Linux, and I'm not sure where to start. Thanks again for the prompt responses, keen interest, and solid advice! On 9/18/06, Joseph Sinclair wrote: > > In a high school class, it does make sense to use a Java IDE, but you need > to know a little bit about several different ones, since learning the IDE is > a very poor substitute for learning the language. I wouldn't worry too much > about what's popular now, since within a couple of years just about > everything will have changed significantly. Focus on learning the practice > and art of software engineering (programming is a small bit of that), and > you'll be able to apply that learning to whatever language and/or platform > you encounter in the future. > > For Java IDE's, Pull down both Eclipse and Netbeans, both are well written > and have a lot of features. The beauty of free software is that you can > easily have multiple options, and switch among them for different > tasks. For learning ONLY, check out the BlueJ IDE, it has a lot of > limitations, but it also has some innovative features just to make learning > Java easier. > > For general learning Java tasks, I agree that it's good to pull out a > generic text editor (Bluefish works well in Linux, JEdit is another good > choice, and it's cross-platform) and do some Java coding there, particularly > for class lessons. > > If you have a Linux desktop available, it helps a lot to have a couple > virtual desktops active, that way you can have a Firefox session with the > Javadoc open (lots of tabs helps here) without cluttering your coding > desktop. Even after developing Java systems for the past 8+ years, I still > have to have the Javadoc open when coding, just because there's no way to > keep the whole thing in my head all at once. > > If you're taking a class, be careful with the API they teach. Some > classwork still uses old obsolete classes from 1.1 (i.e. vector, > hashtable, etc...). Make a point of studying the java.util package, > there's a LOT of really good stuff in there that can make your life a whole > lot easier. > > ==Joseph++ > > Eclipse : http://www.eclipse.org > Netbeans : http://www.netbeans.org > BlueJ : http://www.bluej.org > JEdit : http://www.jedit.org > > Patrick C wrote: > > Hi, everybody! I've been reading the PLUG mailing list for a while now, > and > > I was wondering if any of you have a recommended IDE for Java > development. > > I'm just taking a programming course at my local highschool, but I'd > > like to > > really learn one Linux IDE now, because I have two more Java classes > after > > this, and I'd like to be familiar with just one. At school we use > JCreator. > > I'm poking around with Eclipse JDT right now, but I'm still wondering if > > any > > of you folks have a preference. > > > > Suggestions? > > > > --Patrick C. > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > --------------------------------------------------- > > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us > > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change you mail settings: > > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > --------------------------------------------------- > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change you mail settings: > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >