🚀 go-pugleaf

It sounds more like your instructor was saying you could
use any *version* of the core java software development
kit, rather than a development environment.
In case you didn't already know, Sun Microsystems,
the company that developed and maintains the Java
language, has released several updated versions of
the language, and I think this is what your instructor was
talking about.

Java 2, or version 1.2.2 is the latest final released version,
so go to Sun's site at java.sun.com and get the Standard
Edition; it has the compiler and everything. All you need is
any text editor to write the code. That's all you need to just
program and this is the best way to learn because you can
then see how Java works.

All other graphical IDEs are great in making your
programming life easier, I would at least familiarize
myself with how java works first.

If you have to have an IDE, here are some free ones
to learn from. I think all except Java Workshop include
the SDK with the program. For Workshop, you have to
have the SDK installed first.

NetBeans Developer &
Forte for Java Community Edition, also released by
NetBeans (aka Sun). Forte CE is available for free download
as a beta now, but they say when the final version is released,
it will continue to be free:
http://www.netbeans.com/index.html

Sun's Java Workshop 3.0 Community Edition:
http://www.sun.com/workshop/java/

VisualAge for Java, Entry Edition, ver.3:
http://www7.software.ibm.com/vad.nsf/data/document2590

JBuilder University Edition:
http://www.borland.com/education/jbuilder/

- Ranger Fox
____________________________

TX PYRO wrote in message <387a5183.4407399@news.ilinkusa.net>...
>I am enrolled in a university Computer Science I class.  The
>instructor told us we could use any version of Java to develop
>our programs as long as it still compiled and ran correctly on
>the Sun OS-5 based university system. He was real vague.
>
>The last Comp Sci I class I took was at another university and it
>covered C++.  The development software was an ancient Digital
>Equipment Corp version with a PC emulator shell.  I bought Visual
>C++ and it made life much easier.
>
>I'm looking into Visual J++ 6.0 STD, JBuilder 3 STD, or any other
>software for that matter.  The more user friendly the better
>(I've just started learning).  Any recommendations or opinions
>would be greatly appreciated?
>
>txpyro@flAsh.net