Learning Java: Day 1

This summer I've taken a wonderful break while I've allowed my body to heal.  It's been great for the body but not so good on my mind; I feel an intellectual void. I have one month until I start acupuncture school so it seems like a great time for a challenge: learn Java programming.

Before you say "ewww", let me explain that I love computers.  I have a bachelor of science in Information Technology. I've taken several C and C++ classes in the past and I have to say that I suck as a programmer. I keep thinking that if I just keep practicing I'll "get it" and be able to create usable programs.  Sounds logical, doesn't it?

So I purchased an O'Reilly Java tutorial called, "Head First Java".  The introduction is funny and appealing, the online reviews are very positive, and it has 18 chapters plus two appendices so I can finish the book before school starts if I do one chapter per day.

So there you have it; one Java-clueless older woman, one highly ranked tutorial, and one month to finish (gee, this sounds like "Julie and Julia".)  Here we go...

First you have to install the Software Development Kit (SDK) onto your computer.  You'd think that Oracle (the folks that "own" Java) would have an easily navigable website.  After all, they are computer folks.  But no, this is a place for folks that KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. So after some fiddling around, I finally find the file and get the blasted thing downloaded. Then I had to download the Application Programming Interface (API) documentation so I can look stuff up.  (An API is a piece of code that lets software code from various things like servers/cellphones/fuzzy logic rice cookers/etc. talk to each other) Finding the API documentation was easy; finding the downloadable file took 20 minutes.

Next step was to set the PATH to the java software so the computer knows where to find the compiler.  I had to look up how to do that because it's been a good fifteen years since I've done this. It's going to be a little tougher to get my brain functioning properly than I had anticipated.

The first chapter was a remedial course of beginning programming in writing a class, looping, boolean tests (is it true or false such as: is it greater than, less than, or equal to something), branching, and compiling. Then we moved on to writing code and compiling it. Then exercises and puzzles.

I THINK this will be a good experience.  I hope to finish the book at the end of the month with some usable skills.

Wish me luck!