want to learn Java

AHarvey

AHarvey

AHarvey

Soldato
Joined
6 Mar 2008
Posts
10,085
Location
Stoke area
Hi all,

I want to start learning Java, at home this isn't a problem but at work during breaks etc I can't do it because I don't have admin rights.

Is there a way I can install what I need on a portable harddrive so that not being able to install to the PC itself won't be an issue?

If so, how and what do I need to start learning Java?

Thanks :D
 
I'm sure you could install eclipse on your portable hard drive/usb fine.

I'd recommend a good book, like Java Concepts and using the web also for help!
 
Java has loads of compilers, JCreator, DrJava, Eclipse etc, I myself use JDeveloper and NetBeans. You should be able to store and run the most of these Java Compilers on the portable hard drive.
 
Learning Java is like learning to headbutt a desk. Sure you can do it, but why would you want to?

<< Full time J2EE developer
 
Java's a great way to get into programming. There are literally thousands of sites dedicated to tutorials on it.

Pick a project, don't be afraid to think pretty big and work on it little by little. Try and get every element into it, networking, GUI, databases even. I worked on a population simulator (doesn't have to be realistic!) and learnt more during the few months working on that then I did in the previous 3 years of college work.

As people have said you can download the IDEs easily enough and Eclipse doesn't have to be installed, that's my tool of choice when working on Java atm. Installing the JDK might be a problem, I'd try just copying the folder from your home computer onto a portable drive and pointing eclipse at that, it might work.
 
You don't need jdk installed to compile - I figured this out on a locked down machine :) there is a .jar file with a compiler in it within jdk, this is used by ant-like builders (such as eclipse) instead of javac... it requires a couple of lines of code compile from somewhere else but as long as you have a JRE, you can call the compiler in the .jar file.
Unless of course you have no JRE, then you're screwed. Plus you need to precompile the file with the.jar reference on another machine.
 
thanks for the replies.

The only thing that is currently confusing me is the SDK/JRE, what each means, what it does and why you need it.

Sorry for the noob questions :D
 
AHarvey said:
The only thing that is currently confusing me is the SDK/JRE, what each means, what it does and why you need it.
Click to expand...

Well a SDK (Software Development Kit) is the name given to a set of tools that help you write programs in a language and often consist of a compiler and standard libraries (code for things like collections, networking, io etc.)

In Java the SDK is called the JDK (Java Development Kit) and can be downloaded from sun's website. The latest version is 1.6 which is confusingly called Java 6 (1.5 was Java 5 and so on). You need this to be able to compile any Java programs you write.

Java also has something called the JRE (Java Runtime Environment) which you can compare to the .NET Framework runtime you have to download to run newer Windows applications. It contains all of the necessary files to run Java applications and has versions in line with the JDK (eg: JRE 1.6). The JRE can also be downloaded from sun's website and it is also included in the JDK.
 
I'd contact your tech desk and try and pursuade them that you need the JDK installed for work. Depends on what you do but hopefully they'll just agree and come and install it for you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom