🚀 go-pugleaf

Mark Wilden wrote in message ...
>Ranger Fox <ranger.fox@zdnetonebox.com> wrote in message
>news:85l4jq$8qv$1@usc.edu...
>>
>> All other graphical IDEs are great in making your
>> programming life easier, I would at least familiarize
>> myself with how java works first.
>
>Hmmm. In what way does an IDE prevent knowing "how Java works"? (This is
>assuming you don't use form builders, where I'd agree with you.)

Granted, I'm a Java newbie myself and I've found IDEs confusing. It's just
another thing to have to learn beside the Java language, which was
tough enough for me to begin with. What I was referring to about IDEs
is that, yes, it makes your life easier by automating things, but that's
not a good way to start learning. Such as I know someone who started
out learning Java in an IDE but was barely aware of what compiling a
program does since it was done automatically for him.

>I'd think the newbie most of all would appreciate syntax colouring, an
>integrated full-featured debugger, project management, code completion, and
>easy access to Java documentation.


I definitely would second the syntax coloring. Which is why I like
general purpose text editors suited to this purpose, such as
TextPad. And the full-featured debugger certainly helps.
Maybe it's because I'm trying to learn Java from a non-programmer's
background, but I think that when you're starting to learn Java,
you're not going to be building huge projects initially.
And as for the code completion, that certainly makes things easier,
but doesn't help you if you first need to learn what code is required.

But each person learns in a different way; and what works well
for some, doesn't for others, so just do what works for you.
But looking at it from an educational standpoint, It's sorta like
making a kid learn basic math before giving him a calculator.

- Ranger Fox