natefico

Well I posted this in another topic, but here it is again to see if more people have input.

This is one of those freinds freinds story. You know those great I heard from my freind's freind (btw you don't know him ^^). Well my friend said that he said it would be a good idea to learn C. For that it will help you with programming in general. Since C is close to hardware. Basically he said Java programs would be slow or not as good because of the lack of knowledge that C may give someone with how software works with hardware. Not here trying to prove him wrong, trying to get confirmation.

Thanks guys,
--Fico

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ZenMasterJG

I've worked pretty heavily with C, C++, and Java, and I disagree with your friend totally. C is a much lower-level language the Java, but is that really a good thing? C code can be very hard to understand, especially if your trying to learn by reading someone else's code. I love C, and have been using it for years, but i only use it when I absolutly have to. Check out Java, you'll learn some really good programming techniques, Obect Oriented Programming, and it doesn't have anywhere near as many of those little things in C that makes your program not work for no readily apparant reason, leaving you scratching your head for weeks.

That said, ANY programming language can be a good foundation to build upon. It really depends on what kind of programming you want to do and what you hope to accomplish. Good luck!

Dizzutch

if you code a crappy C program it can be slower than a Java program. What your friend probably means is that C runs right in the operating system. Java runs in it's own virtual machine, which does make it slower, since the VM has to be loaded, and then your code has to be executed, etc. Java also has certain features that slow it down such as a garbage colletor (which gets rid of unused objects) and a lot of built in functions. With C you are able to get closer to the hardware, since it gets directly run by the CPU, and assembled into assembly language specific to the CPU you're running on. Unlike Java which will run on any CPU.

hope this give you a little more insight.

Dizz

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natefico

Ya thanks guys, doubt I have the full story of the friend friend story. Gosh though this friend of my friend has lots of influence on my friend. He just suggested C to him to start out with and he jumped right in. Either way I would be happy programming in anything.
Can't seem find to read Sam's Teach Yourslef Java2 though : /
Annoying me the crap out of me. Really want to but can't seem to find time : /
So umm what kind of programes to make with java? Have no ideas, what have you guys made in your time?
Is java limited? If so in which way?
Thanks,
Fico

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ZenMasterJG

You can really do just about anything in Java. It isnt quite as efficient as some other languages, but there are still efforts out there to produce games with it. Sun is even trying to make a new 3d desktop environment with it for their Solaris platform (should be available for linux too, eventually)
The only limiting factor in Java is that it is an interpreted language and so will run a little slower then programs written in other languages at really system-intensive tasks. I've never had a serious issue with this before, and I've written applications that have to sift through quite a lot of data. It would run a little faster in C++, true, but it was SO MUCH EASIER to write in Java. (yep, im lazy )

Mjordan2nd

You can do lots of good stuff in Java. Other than low-level stuff, you can do almost anything.

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Berto

i use java at work with the whole object orientated thing makes it a easy language to pick up.