RFI: the best way to learn a programming language

Most programming languages use Americanized spelling, too, no?

I type at like 90 wpm

and I <3 the maths and the logics

Also I set up Eclipse bcz I heard it's what most real ppl use; it seems to be okay enough so far but I wouldn't disregard switching to NetBeans if everyone started going on abt how much easier it is for beginners

im using eclipse and it broek hart for first while (srsly i went back to notepad++ and cmd line for a few weeks but im used to most of it's foibles now- tho im prob not really covering a lot of its functionality or anything

okay stevie I think you may be interested in this syllabus/course material and as a result this text book or its newer edition. (Though the old one is referenced above and of course can be had for 1/6 the price and is probably almost the same.) Neither of these things have programming exercises in Java, of course, but you can probably survive anyway.

Eclipse is very much a professional tool designed for large software projects. I've never really used it though I might do so in my next job, depending on how "essential" it is. There's probably nothing about it particularly suited to learners or to working on practice exercises rather than big multi-file projects, and I'd be inclined to suggest the notepad++ and cmd line angle. (Not that the Windows command line is a particularly fun experience.)

what eclipse and netbeans give you over notepad or vim is completion I.e. as soon as you type a dot it'll show you all the possible members / methods. invaluable to a beginner, faster for everyone else.

we mostly use netbeans, but sometimes eclipse. I've changed some of the eclipse key bindings to match the netbeans ones.

Yeah, I'm a vim Linux command line hardman so I'm inclined to look askance at IDEs. It might be a great tool for you, so don't overthink it as long as it works for you

(the thought of hopping between source files in the huge directory tree of a decent-sized java project using something like vim gives me the heebee jeebees tbh. yes, ctags, but still...)

stevie i tried to send you a webmail let me know if it worked- if not just let me know the address i can send this stuff on to you.

The email you gave me was a dud, sent it to ursurnameatgmail.com instead let me know if thats gone through ok.

Never done any programming before till this year.

Been learning some data integration through using an open source tool that runs on Java (Talend). Do need to learn as much java as I can to do two things: (i) to learn to manipulate strings according to requirements and (ii) guide to errors so I can debug. But through using Talend I am interested to learn as much as I can, its given me a way in.

Things I will do: learn to touch type.

So far I have hacked away at a sams book before giving up. Boredom is the least of it but I will grit my teeth through one at xmas (one problem is it has stuff about android etc and I'm not interested in that as in manipulating flat files or spreadsheets).

Hardest thing is to make up challenges to yourself that might mirror challenges I'll face professionally.

I need to find a way of acquiring enough background to develop solutions to problems - and I'm getting there but I'm not as comfortable as I want to be.

Ultimately I think "Just keep doing stuff" for a while every day is probably the best advice.

If you're really motivated to use a specific tool that runs on java, that will probably trump everything, but in general, I'd say java is not a very friendly environment to be learning one's first language, and there are a lot of other languages that do flat files and spreadsheets with less headaches involved.

'processing' has a much friendlier environment and is practically java if you wanted a less steep curve to climb.
Tutorials, documentation and example projects are built-in, and you can make neat art pieces with it!

Interesting...will look into it.