Java resources tutorials for novice/beginner?

LeperousDust · 10 Feb 2008 at 23:56

I'm currently learning Java at Uni, using Eclipse (after a lot of hassle getting it up and running properly

).

I'm just wondering where i should be looking to get the best java tutorial/resources, i'm browsing through the online stuff on the sun website, but they obviously expect me to be using netbeans which is a little different from eclipse when it comes to shortcuts.

Now i'm working my way soaking up all the tutorials on the eclipse resources section. But i'm just wondered if there are any definitive sites out there? I've got my lectures which probably teach me all i need to know, but tbh i don't find the lectures all that helpful, i'd rather *do* the learning when it comes to coding and have the lectures back up what i already know. Basically i want to get ahead and have the lectures reassert my knowledge.

So any help guys? So far i wouldn't say i understand much, arrays are about as far as i've played, so basic i'd say!

RobH · 11 Feb 2008 at 01:57

At Uni we learnt Java using BlueJ which is an IDE like Eclipse except it is very basic and is designed for learning Java. We followed the the book called 'objects first with Java' which is written for use with BlueJ. I found that it made learning Java much easier as the book guides you through a lot of the OO knowledge first.

LeperousDust · 11 Feb 2008 at 13:35

We've got a book, but its not great, its very full featured (as the lecturer has said). So it covered everything i'll neeed to know for the next two year, but is thin on the ground with base work. In his own words he said don't use it, but i'd like to study something (just maybe a little easier to digest).

LeperousDust · 13 Feb 2008 at 01:14

Anyone? I'm happily working my way through the sun stuff, which i assume (for their own gain) has to be pretty good, right?

Una · 13 Feb 2008 at 16:01

LeperousDust said:
Anyone? I'm happily working my way through the sun stuff, which i assume (for their own gain) has to be pretty good, right?

Sure, the sun tutorials are decent. I used Big Java book while I studied java at uni which was aright.

http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/reallybigindex.html is handy as well..

Once you get the hang of programming the API docs have example code which shows you how to use certain features. I found BlueJ horrible because people though java was about clicking objects to instantiate them and it tended to hide all necessary stuff like main methods etc...