Which is easier for making a GUI program?
 

I was wondering which language, Java or C# would be easier for making simple GUI applications. I mean, the stuff I wanna make is fairly simple and straightforward. Like for example, one program I'd like to do would have a form and then some option buttons on the side in which the user could choose if he wants to add, subtract, multiply, or divide the two numbers he will input into two different textboxes. Another simple GUI program I'd probably want to make is where the user enters a string in one box, and then clicks a button and then the string shows up reversed in another box. I think you get the idea.

I know C# is considered a RAD tool, and you can simply drag and drop components onto your form and start writing event handlers. I don't know if Java is really considered a RAD tool, and it may be more difficult to write these GUI projects.

What do you think?

In C#, designing forms is very easy, as you can do it all visually, but the same can be said of Java if you use the right IDE. I believe NetBeans supports this, or is bundled with a plugin to provide this support. If you're curious about Java, reggaeton_king seems like a good guy to talk to, as he uses Java a fair bit and seems familiar with various Java IDEs and other tools.

If it were me, I'd go with C#, but that's strctly personal preference. I find C# to be a 'cleaner' language from a syntactic standpoint, since it provides features Java doesn't (properties, operator overloading, and indexers spring to mind). I also find the class libraries in the .NET Framework to be more comprehensive than the Java API, but to be fair, I don't use Java a whole lot. However, if you're aiming for a more cross-platform solution, then Java is probably a better choice.

Thus, my advice: if you're developing for Windows, C# gets my vote. If you want cross-platform, go with Java, coupled with a good visual-type IDE.

I've used JDeveloper for the little Java work that I've done. I think, although I'm not sure, that there is a component palette so you can choose a component and drop it on your form. I agree with you though, that C# really seems to have a lot going for it, and the faster RAD approach is appealing to me. I'm not interested in portability at all, since I'm just doing this on my own as a hobby.

With Java, you can use Netbeans to design your GUI applications. Eclipse also has a plug-in for a Form Designer too. I personally don't like either tool but since you have no interest in creating portable programs, then I'd stick with C#. I like Form Designers but programming my GUI apps line by line taught me a lot so I did benefit from that.

I highly recommend you understand how a Form Designer works and what code it creates when you add different GUI components to the form. It can only benefit.

@lectricpharaoh: Thanks for your kind words!

I've tried Netbeans and didn't like it nearly as much as JDeveloper. Every time I ran my program that asked the user to input two integers and then output the sum, the previous values that the user entered were still sitting in the input box. I'm not talking a GUI application type input box, but I still was working with just a console program. But when you use the Scanner class to get input from the keyboard, a long text box(input box) shows up at the bottom of the window. That's where you input your integers into the program.

But when I was done with the program, and I wanted to run it again just using different integers, the previous values were always sitting in the input box. It drove me nuts, and I never did find a solution.

C# is a lot easier, and more visual.

Agreed. I'm not sure which is more painful though; doing it in Java, or using the raw Win32 API.
Yes, if you're using visual tools, at the very least, read through the code it generates. Learn how it declares and initializes your controls, and how it registers the event handlers. It makes the whole process seem much less like magic.
Well, from your posts, you seem not only knowledgeable about Java, but you seem to enjoy it too. Thus, you can balance out the 'dump Java, go for C#' opinions. :)