• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
programming forums Java Mobile Certification Databases Caching Books Engineering Micro Controllers OS Languages Paradigms IDEs Build Tools Frameworks Application Servers Open Source This Site Careers Other Pie Elite all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
Marshals:
  • Campbell Ritchie
  • Jeanne Boyarsky
  • Ron McLeod
  • Paul Clapham
  • Liutauras Vilda
Sheriffs:
  • paul wheaton
  • Rob Spoor
  • Devaka Cooray
Saloon Keepers:
  • Stephan van Hulst
  • Tim Holloway
  • Carey Brown
  • Frits Walraven
  • Tim Moores
Bartenders:
  • Mikalai Zaikin

!! Overwhelmed by Java jargon!!!!

 
Greenhorn
Posts: 7
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I'm a total Java noob and I'm honestly trying to figure it all out, but it's hard when there are about 23,194 Java related buzzwords/jargon/acronyms/etc.

bean
javabeans
jni
jfc
awt
swt
swing
jface


Do any of you know of some sort of good guide to the thousands of confusing terms of java?
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 1646
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I'd start with the source: java.sun.com. Next I'd hit up Google: www.google.com.

And we don't take kindly to exaggerators around the ranch. There are only 23,192 Java-related buzzwords, thank-you-very-much!
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 1071
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
For just learning I would ignore the whole list you have there except for bean, which is real easy. A bean is any Java class that has a default constructor and a getter/setter for each 'property' such as:



Other than that I would just look at the language constructs, maybe Swing if you feel up to GUI's. Just think of what you want to accomplish and then find the things you need to use to do that. I would venture to say that few if any people, even here, can comfortably use all the various Java acronyms. It would be better to say, 'I want to get data from a database' or some other such thing, and then ask what you can use to accomplish that.
 
Sandy Shaffer
Greenhorn
Posts: 7
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
ah thanks steven. but what's the point of saying "bean"? doesn't just about any useful class have a default contructor and getter/setter? is there any reason I shouldn't just say "class"? do most people use "bean" and "class" interchangeably in talking about java?
 
Steven Bell
Ranch Hand
Posts: 1071
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Most data classes have a default constructor and getters and setters. There are many 'business logic' type classes that may or may not. Generally the term 'bean' is used when you require that the class fit that description, for example hibernate, a database framework, requires (for the most part) that the classes you tell it to write to a database conform to bean standards.

On the other hand some people will use 'bean' to mean 'Enterprise Java Bean', or EJB. If you ever think you want to learn EJB's slap yourself really hard and immediately seek psychiatric help.
 
author and iconoclast
Posts: 24207
46
Mac OS X Eclipse IDE Chrome
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Roedy Green's Java and Internet Glossary is a fabulous resource for looking up acronyms and buzzwords. It's regularly updated and chock-ful of mostly reliable information.
[ January 31, 2005: Message edited by: Ernest Friedman-Hill ]
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 1272
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I rely on the wikipedia, which has lots of in-depth articles and useful links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 3061
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Originally posted by Sandy Shaffer:
ah thanks steven. but what's the point of saying "bean"? doesn't just about any useful class have a default contructor and getter/setter? is there any reason I shouldn't just say "class"? do most people use "bean" and "class" interchangeably in talking about java?



No, in fact in my day-to-day Java programming, I typically avoid getters and setters. I also quite often don't use a default constructor if I there are no obvious default values for the member fields.

Layne
 
Sheriff
Posts: 11343
Mac Safari Java
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Originally posted by David Harkness:
... There are only 23,192 Java-related buzzwords...


I see only 23,191. Are you counting "varargs" more than once?
 
(instanceof Sidekick)
Posts: 8791
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
But what does "bean" stand for? Beginners Enduring Acronym Nausea?
 
Sandy Shaffer
Greenhorn
Posts: 7
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
hehe right.

well thanks for the help, but here's a new questions I can't find the answer to:

I found that J2ME is "not a JVM", just a "catch-all for mobile java technologies. But what are the most common J2ME implementations used today? I mean what would I want to use if I want to reach the vast majority of users with J2ME-type devices?
 
Steven Bell
Ranch Hand
Posts: 1071
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
To the best of my knowledge there is MIDP and CLDC, I think. That is about the extent of my J2ME knowledge.
 
author
Posts: 14112
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Originally posted by Stan James:
But what does "bean" stand for?



For tiny, brown things that you make coffee from. No joking, that's it!
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 618
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Originally posted by Stan James:
But what does "bean" stand for? Beginners Enduring Acronym Nausea?



Not to insult your intelligence, but in case you still didn't get it, I'd like to remind you what the language's name comes from, and why you always see a coffee cup for the Java logo!

It looks like you registered years ago--didn't get around to studying Java until now?
 
David Harkness
Ranch Hand
Posts: 1646
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
"Stan James ... Posts: 2750 | Registered: Jan 2003"

I think it's safe to say that Stan was continuing the jokes. Not to imply anyone's complete lack of humor, but "Beginners Enduring Acronym Nausea" is pretty darn funny.

Seriously though, as to the J2ME question, I believe it's really just a subset of packages that you can expect on micro devices (phones, PDAs, smart cards, toasters, rings, and smart toenail clippers [well, the others are real]). I'd ercommend reading the details on Sun's site to get a really good answer as to which APIs those include.

Of the top of my head I think some are
  • JBA - Java Button API
  • JRMA - Java Return Merchandise Authorization
  • CopperTop4J - methods for reading battery levels

  •  
    Sheriff
    Posts: 3341
    • Mark post as helpful
    • send pies
      Number of slices to send:
      Optional 'thank-you' note:
    • Quote
    • Report post to moderator
    If you are just starting, don't get caught up by all the terms flying around. Start at the beginning and as you need to know something it's easy to lookup.

    I personnally like the Java Tutorials
     
    Ranch Hand
    Posts: 2166
    • Mark post as helpful
    • send pies
      Number of slices to send:
      Optional 'thank-you' note:
    • Quote
    • Report post to moderator
    for my ears "buzzwords" is a term with a negative conotation.
    Those are just identifier for certain fields of knowledge with more or less cohesive motivation. Example: JDBC is api to access RDB.. sorry Relational Databases. No reason to get angry about.
     
    Don't get me started about those stupid light bulbs.
    reply
      Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
    • New Topic