Scared to death about learning JAVA - Help?

Question

I have absolutely no experience in programming and am going to take a java programming course this coming fall. I am really scared that I will be behind everyone else, especially if people in this class may already have programming experience. I am a hard worker and last year, was able to struggle but ultimately do well in classes like chemistry which I considered to be very difficult. I am in no ways a slacker - I do not let low grades in classes discourage me when I know that I have tried my best. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the hardest), what is the level of difficulty in learning JAVA vs 1yr science major Chemistry? Do you suggest making flashcards to memorize the terminology in JAVA? Buying a reference book?

I remember when I was taking chemistry, I had no idea how to approach the class. So I ended up reading over half of the chemistry textbook (the book had at least 1000pgs and was a very thick book!) To my dismay, I eventually realized that this was a complete waste of my time.

Please help - I do not know the most effective way to tackle this class and succeed.

Please no stupid or inconsiderate comments.

Thank you

Answer 1

It is very difficult to compare chemistry and JAVA. Chemistry is mostly remembering facts, while JAVA programming is more logic based - thinking about how to task one step at a time. I got A's in all my programming classes, and avoid chemistry like the plague.



Flash cards are probably NOT going to be a lot of help with Java because there is little to memory. Learning programming is more "hand on". It is doing it over and over until you figure out on the different functions in a language work.



If you are concerned, pick up a "Java for Dummies" or "Java in 21 Days" type book and go through it. You will probably find that you enjoy programming and that it is not that hard. There are also lots of free tutorials you can find on the Internet. A little practice and you can easily get the fundamentals down.



But the classes assume that you know nothing about Java and they will start at the very beginning.



Most colleges also offer tutors if you are having trouble. They are usually more helpful helpful that Flash Cards.

Answer 2

I dunno, I for one usually don't find reference books all that helpful (especially since the Java API is all available online and for download), nor can I imagine making much use of reference cards, especially for something like programming.



Java is probably middle of the range in terms of how hard it is to learn. It has a more formal structure and is more demanding than weakly typed scripting languages such as Javascript, and it also has a strict object-oriented paradigm (unlike, say, C++) which I for one found a little hard to get into at first. On the other hand, not having to deal with pointer arithmetic or memory management (the way C and C++ require) can make your life a LOT easier.



In any case, I have always found that the best way to learn and memorize the details of any programming language are to actually practice programming in that language. And not just the stuff your teacher tells you to do, in fact in my experience it is easier to learn from actually doing my own stuff than it is from going through a strict sequence laid out for me that I might not entirely understand. Of course this works for me since I enjoy programming games, generators and simple utilities as a leisure activity. If you would rather do other things in your spare time and only write code for school then it might not work out so well for you. Anyway, at first, you'll probably be writing programs to run in the console, without any fancy GUI or anything. You might want to start with something like a Rock Paper Scissors game (the main point being to come up with algorithms for the computer to use to try to beat you), a number guessing game, then maybe move on to a text adventure or a generator of some kind. Always challenge yourself; don't go overboard, but try to take on projects that you know will involve some algorithms or programming techniques you haven't used before. Having the Java API constantly open in a browser window next to Eclipse is perfectly fine, no one will blame you for it. Feel free to ask people questions too (but be sure you word them in a useful manner, sometimes to someone with experience it doesn't sound like you're asking what you think you're asking). And remember, the first few steps are always the hardest, it only gets easier as you go on because it's all a sort of bootstrapping process.

Answer 3

As with most advanced studies, it helps to have an acute interest in the subject you're studying. May I ask why, if you have no interest in programming, are you learning a programming language?



The difficulty of learning a programming language is inversely proportional to your level of dedication, interest, patience, and experience with that language.



If you're hell-bent on learning it but aren't sure if you'll enjoy it (let's say you're just trying it out for size), pick up the most beginner-friendly book you can on Java. It's like chess: Easy to learn, hard to master.



You'll need to understand simple things like the syntax, flow of operation, variable types... Those are the foundation of Java and programming in other languages as well.



Compared to a science course I cannot say as I haven't taken it. But, I am a programmer :)

Answer 4

Since you have some time to prepare, I suggest O'reilly Publishing's "Learning Java". Their Learning series of books are great (Learning Python is one of the best programming books ever.) Don't be tempted by other books as an intro, this one's the best.



http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Java-Second-Patrick-Niemeyer/dp/0596002858



Java isn't easy; you're definitely jumping in the deep end of the pool. Which is why you need an intro to the subject beforehand.



Incidently, since you asked about reference books, I do NOT recommend O'reilly's "Programming Java". It has everything, but that's not what you need and anyway it'll scare you to death. Wading pool first. You don't need flash cards; terminology isn't the hard part; grasping just what object-oriented programming is about..that's the hard part.

Answer 5

Sorry for you and your parents. Depression self-help tip 1: Cultivate supportive relationships Getting the support you need plays a big role in lifting the fog of depression and keeping it away. On your own, it can be difficult to maintain perspective and sustain the effort required to beat depression. But the very nature of depression makes it difficult to reach out for help. However, isolation and loneliness make depression even worse, so maintaining your close relationships and social activities are important. Depression puts a negative spin on everything, including the way you see yourself, the situations you encounter, and your expectations for the future. Depression self-help tip 3: Take care of yourself In order to overcome depression, you have to take care of yourself. This includes following a healthy lifestyle, learning to manage stress, setting limits on what you’re able to do, adopting healthy habits, and scheduling fun activities into your day. Depression self-help tip 4: Get regular exercise When you’re depressed, exercising may be the last thing you feel like doing. But exercise is a powerful tool for dealing with depression. In fact, studies show that regular exercise can be as effective as antidepressant medication at increasing energy levels and decreasing feelings of fatigue. Depression self-help tip 5: Eat a healthy, mood-boosting diet What you eat has a direct impact on the way you feel. Aim for a balanced diet of protein, complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables. Depression self-help tip 6: Know when to get additional help If you find your depression getting worse and worse, seek professional help. Needing additional help doesn’t mean you’re weak. Sometimes the negative thinking in depression can make you feel like you’re a lost cause, but depression can be treated and you can feel better! Often when we loose all hope and think this is the end, God smiles from above and says ‘relax dear its just a bend. Not the end. Have Faith and have a successful life. Do some prayer daily. Read religious book daily (even one verse/sentence can make the change) Do some charity (give something in charity-even one rupee will/or an old cloth to poor will be good) Give some food to stray dog/birds Don’t hate anybody. Love all and see the change. Evenif somebody scolding you don’t scold in reply. God is great and will listen you and solve your problem. Good luck and God bless you

Answer 6

The problem is that you're learning advanced surgery without having learned biology, so you're going to learn how to cut, but not where to cut or why to cut.



Learn programming first. (There's no such thing as learning Java programming. Programming is a science. Java is syntax.) Start with http://www-old.oberon.ethz.ch/WirthPubl/AD.pdf You should get far enough by the fall (if you apply yourself) that learning Java won't be that difficult.

Answer 7

Learn javascript over the summer. It's a scripting language that you can run in your browser, so no set-up or downloads necessary. There's A TON of documentation online, and it's similar in syntax to java.



If you learn javascript, you'll be able to recognize the syntax, and have some programming experience, which is all you need.



Oh, did I mention, javascript is 100x easier than java.

Answer 8

First java is a high level programing language their are two kinds of programing languages low and high. learn the step of computer programing first. then learn how to write sudo code then you'll be ready for Java it isn't hard a good book for me was "Learn Java in 24 hours by Sam publishing" can't remember the author.

example java program

import java.swing.*;

public class prcg extends jframe

{super ("hello world");

setDefaultCloseOperation (JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

setsize (200,300);

JLabel jl = new JLabel ("Hello World");

FLowlayout flo = new FlowLayout ();

setLayout (flo);

add (jl);

setVisible (true);

}

public static void main (String [], args)

{prcg aa = new prcg ();

}



Then save is as prcg.java

open up console in the directory you saved it in.

type javac prcg.java

then java prcg

it will open a frame with hello world in it

you'll need java sdk