🚀 go-pugleaf

Brian M. Cover wrote in message <378FA81E.9468B7D1@omni-designs.com>...
>Sorry if this is not the correct forum to place this message.....but:
>Question,
>

The IT section in the Tuesday newspaper gives a good idea of state
if IT industry.

In regards to Java, you can choose to focus on:

1. client side: applets etc. on web pages

2. server side: database communications

3. applications: using swing (fancy gui in latest Java) for
    intranet user interfaces for finance, health type industries

Hmm, that's how I see it anyway. To get started, start at
a technical bookshop and pick up a decent book with CD
that supplies an IDE (integrated development environment).

From my experience, stay clear of Symantec Visual Cafe,
Borland is good. IMHO Microsoft's original VisualJ++1.0
is best, I worked through a beginners book last year
that came with free "publishers edition" and am still
using it as my primary development environment for
web applet development.

Beware, in last 12 months Java has turned into a much
more complicated language, to begin with I would stay
clear of books that go into 1.2 and 2.0 specific stuff.

Also recomended:

java faq:    http://www.afu.com/

free book "thinking in Java" http://www.eckelobjects.com/


Hope this helps,

Simon

Brian M. Cover wrote:
> 
> Sorry if this is not the correct forum to place this message.....but:
> Question,
> 
> I am looking into learning Java.....I have no prior programming
> experience.
> 
> How long do you feel it would take to learn the language well enough to
> enter in a real world
> working environment for someone who is quick to learn anything computer
> related, and spending
> approximately 10 hrs a week.  From a tutorial.
> What are the opportunities for me once I get to a comprehensive level?

Brian,

Tuesday's Australian is definately the place to look for job ads.

> Are there many opportunities as a contract employee?

Yes.

> What are the rates like?......beginner?....experienced?

c. $30-$70/hr

> What are the rates like as a direct
> employee?.....beginner.....experienced?

c. $35K-$100K/yr

> What are the hot areas of the country?

Sydney and Melbourne have the majority of IT jobs.

> Would you give me any advice as to what areas of Java I should
> concentrate
> my learning efforts?

If you have no programming experience I'd look at doing a part time
course -- I think that would give employers a bit more confidence.

What you really need to learn is how to program -- the fact that you are
learning how to do it in Java is secondary.

Specific things you should certainly know:
	- Data structures: arrays, lists, stacks and algorithms which operate
on them, searching, sorting etc, and how to do them in Java.
	- Some OO theory -- Inheritance, Polymorphism etc.
	- Some Relational DB theory -- Normalisation, Entities and
Relationships
	- How to build a user interface using JFC (aka Swing). AWT is not
widely used any more.
	- How to talk to a relational database using JDBC.
That should keep you busy for a while.

> Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.  I am looking into
> completely changing my
> career field.  I am currently in the engineering field working as a
> contract employee.

Java is an expanding field, and a really nice programming platform. As
an engineer you are probably accustomed to thinking in a structured way,
so your chances are good.

Good luck!

Tom

In article <75Rj3.8308$yD2.19507@newsfeeds.bigpond.com>, 
simon@gatecrashers.com says...
|  Brian M. Cover wrote in message <378FA81E.9468B7D1@omni-designs.com>...
|  >Sorry if this is not the correct forum to place this message.....but:
|  >Question,
|  >
|  
|  The IT section in the Tuesday newspaper gives a good idea of state
|  if IT industry.
|  
|  In regards to Java, you can choose to focus on:
|  
|  1. client side: applets etc. on web pages
|  
|  2. server side: database communications
|  
|  3. applications: using swing (fancy gui in latest Java) for
|      intranet user interfaces for finance, health type industries
You missed server side stuff like servlets, ejbs, corba etc.

dIon