Re: FN-FORUM java

date posted 28th January 2003 14:59

Quoting Robin Garbutt [EMAIL REMOVED]

> what are the pros and cons of java compared to other languages like vb?
> is it still worth getting into?

Thats a pair of complicated questions...

Java is a maturing, general purpose, high level, object oriented language with
both generic and platform specific UI toolkits available as well as generic
libraries and toolkits for tonnes of other stuff. Java also has some
capabilities (eg applets) that open up interesting possibilities.

So generically, as a language to learn its probably at least as worthwhile as
any other (and is a better /language/ if not necessarily a better development
platform/toolkit than vb up to vb6). Downside is that you need a fairly hefty
runtime (though not as large as .NET) to allow it to run.

The flipside is that java is probably not the best weapon of choice if you're
targeting microsoft platforms - interestingly VB.NET and C# (which are fairly
simlar anyway) have clearly taken a lot of, er, "inspiration" from java. (And
there is J# although I can't comment on how close it is to genuine java.)

So the "is it worth getting into" question can only be answered properly if
one knows where you are now and where you want to go in the future.

James Murphy
Consett, County Durham.