Linux & Java

[Sean Casey]

I am an ashamed owner of a computer with a Windows ME Os. I am sick and tired of all the freezes and what not. I'm moving on. I originally inquired about Unix, but then found that Linux is probably the best solution. Will I have any problems programming in Java on a Linux OS? Will I have any problems setting up the compiler? I have Visual Cafe Expert edition. Will I have any problems running that? I know some of these questions are basic. I just need some answers. I'm about ready to wipe out the system. Wipe the slate clean. Right now I'm running a Pentium III at 866mghz with 384 RAM at 133mghz. Any comments would be greatly appreciated, as I'm going to the store tomorrow to find a nice version. Any suggestions on the vendor I should use??

[Frank Carver]

As a rule, Linux and Java work pretty well together. Sun's Java 1.3 is avaiable, as are several other VMs and the Jikes compiler. Your machine setup is definately powerful enough for Linux, which generally makes better use of the machine than Windows.
I don't believe that Visual cafe has a Linux version, but if you really want a visual IDE, it might be worth learning Forte, which is free, and I believe works on Linux. Do you use any other applications on this box, or is it solely for Java development? What components and peripherals do you have? - Linux may use them in different ways.
Be prepared for things to be a different world. Linux is all about choice, and that choice can often be bewildering - there's hardly ever one best solution for anything. You need to know what you need, and how to configure flexible products to your needs.
Most people start with Linux by setting up a dual-boot system if they only have one PC, or even better, by setting up an old box to run Linux as a playpen to get familiar with it first. Unlike Windows, Linux is very unlikely to screw itself up, but on the other hand it offers you lots of tools to screw it up yourself ...
As for distributions, if you want to use a graphical desktop, then RedHat or Mandrake are popular. If your machine is a server without a keyboard and monitor, then I recommend e-smith. If you want huge and confusing choice for everything, the SuSE has it all. If you are a free-software purist, then the distribution of choice is usually Debian. See what I mean about choices ...
Good luck. Have fun, and please check back here with your questions and progress.

[Sean Casey]

Thanks for your help Frank. I ended up buying Redhat. The computer I'm using is at home and just for fun, so I'm going to completely configure it on Linux. It'll give me something to do. I don't actually use VisualCafe. I just use a texteditor, but I was just wondering because this may change somewhere down the line. The more and more I read about Linux, the better it sounded, so here goes.

[George Brown]

 

Originally posted by Sean Casey:
I just use a texteditor, but I was just wondering because this may change somewhere down the line.

IBM also have a version of Visual Age for Java (Enterprise Edition) that runs under Red Hat Linux. I don't know whether it's commercially available because we got a CD with it on when we ordered the 3.02 version for NT at the start of 2000. I've given it a test run though, and it works fairly well.

[martin samm]

I got a copy of VA for Java as i'd registered for Developer Works (free) earlier in the year. Give it a try, register and see if they're still giving it away.