little question...

[Jacob Rich]

i was wondering...ive been reading head first java second ed. for awhile, and im not really picking up much of the coding concepts thus far...i really only have a tiny bit of qbasic and vb background and i know html to almost the full extent...i just dont get what im missing besides doing the examples but most of them are obvious...im in chapter 10 now its getting more confusing each chapter...i was wondering if anyone knew of a few tips or tricks i could follow to enhance my learning experience...or it might just be im not done with the book.

[Tony VanHorn]

Hey Jacob. I know exactly what you are talking about. I got to chapters 8 and 9 and after reading them over a few times I didn't know where to go. I showed up here and found the cattle drive which has been a good program to start with. Not only does it teach you syntax and the like, but it also slowing introduces the basics of the java language. You start with a procedural approach (where I am at now) and then move into the Object Oriented stuff (the harder stuff for me to grasp) and then also some web programming stuff. You can go through it on you own, but I would definately encourage you to pay for the nitpicking that is offered, as it is invaluable. Also the book that one goes through during the cattle drive seems to be well written and easy to understand, even for a novice like me. I am hoping that once I get through the cattle drive I can then finish up the HF book with no problems. Thats my two cents, as being someone that has been (and is) where you are at. Good luck and keep working at it.

Tony

[Nathan Leniz]

No worries man,

It took me a bit to understand a lot of what the book was saying until I actually started writing my own programs and using the knowledge the book imparts.

If you don't want to buy any book or go to the local library to check em out, do a google search for "cs151 java tutorial" minus the quotes and you'll be led to an excellent online tutorial complete with exercises and quizzes.

But honestly I think the best way is to bookmark the latest API from Sun and get a hold of an OS project written in java that interests you. You'll come across custom methods that you have to figure out the workings of, you'll come across new concepts (I just discovered the wonderful world of Collections, and successfully explored the ability to put a Hashtable inside a Hashtable, fun stuff. Almost like databasing), and most of all you'll most likely have fun doing it while working on something you believe in.

I'm not discounting the books as I've read them and pretty much understand them, but explore other avenues so you get experience reading and writing code, and seeing how other people who are more experienced work. Pretty much the same with any trade you pick up.

Nate

[David McCombs]

Originally posted by jacob rich:
i was wondering...ive been reading head first java second ed. for awhile, and im not really picking up much of the coding concepts thus far...i really only have a tiny bit of qbasic and vb background and i know html to almost the full extent...i just dont get what im missing besides doing the examples but most of them are obvious...im in chapter 10 now its getting more confusing each chapter...i was wondering if anyone knew of a few tips or tricks i could follow to enhance my learning experience...or it might just be im not done with the book.

Write lots and lots of code. Code until your eyes start bleeding, then write some more. You can't learn how to program by just reading.

[sachin yadav]

Originally posted by David McCombs:


Write lots and lots of code. Code until your eyes start bleeding, then write some more. You can't learn how to program by just reading.

Yes orignal implementation is the key.

[Jacob Rich]

thanks fellas, appreciate the help...ill try some of this "fun" and "implementing" as soon as i can remember how fun and implementation go together.