Java vs C++

[Black_Hole]

I don't really know what I want to do with it- I would like to write my own game, I may try to make some useful apps, maybe tinker with Linux eventually. I'm considering Comp Sci as a major, but I will most likely study areospace engineering.
I would like to learn a powerful language that is commonly used in the programming industry, so I'm thinking Java, C++, C#, or Python. Am I right? VB is mostly used for web programs, correct?
I didn't realize that Java can't be compiled into executables. Isn't that a big drawback? I'm not particularly fond of Microsoft, but I do use XP as of now, and C# sounds like a pretty useful and powerful language. Python seems easy to learn from what I've seen. So many options...

actually there are third party apps that can put java into an executable, however it loses one of its main features, cross system compatibilty... Any system with a JVM can run java programs....

Also if you want to make it clickable, create a batch file named something.bat with the following code:

java ClassNameToRun

So anyone with a jvm clicking on that will run whatever class is specified....

Java is very strong for the web, servlets and applets can be very powerful

 

[stormbind]

I don't really know what I want to do with it- I would like to write my own game, I may try to make some useful apps, maybe tinker with Linux eventually. I'm considering Comp Sci as a major, but I will most likely study areospace engineering.
I would like to learn a powerful language that is commonly used in the programming industry, so I'm thinking Java, C++, C#, or Python. Am I right? VB is mostly used for web programs, correct?
I didn't realize that Java can't be compiled into executables. Isn't that a big drawback? I'm not particularly fond of Microsoft, but I do use XP as of now, and C# sounds like a pretty useful and powerful language. Python seems easy to learn from what I've seen. So many options...

Actually, Microsoft VBScript is the language more often used for web scripts.

VB.NET seems to merge the roles of VB and VBScript, but it feels foreign to VBScript programmers so I suspect many are disalusioned and migrating to C#.NET anyway.

Because you are looking at BSD/Linux, I think you would enjoy something non-Microsoft.

perl, perl, perl, perl...

Nah, just kidding. I am the only person in the world who likes that language

 

[Padma]

Nah, you can't be the only one, stormbind.

Without perl, urpmi wouldn't exist. And then how would I update my Mandriva Linux box?

 

[FireBall]

Personally, I prefer Java, which I started learning not too long ago, I just like the language, it seems more powerful than any language I've learned so far (haven't really tried C++ yet), and it doesn't seem impossibly difficult or overwhelming.

I tried python once, but I quickly got bored of its lack of power/compatibility.

 

[Aphex_Twin]

I tried python once, but I quickly got bored of its lack of power/compatibility.

I thought so too, but then I met it's OOP and lambda. Damn, there must be a compilable version somewhere!

 

[stormbind]

Why not try several languages? Go down to your library and look for:

O'Reilly Learning Java/C++/C# &c.

My local library has three or more copies of O'Reilly Java in a Nutshell, and nothing on the other languages, but hopefully that is an exception. You would not need to read a whole book to decide whether it's a language you want to pursue further: two or three chapters would leave you with a feeling of ease or discomfort, and at the end of the day, you made the decision which will increase enthusiasm and satisfaction!

No programmer worth their salt will look down on a choice of language. Regardless of language, they have all committed themselves to comparable

 

[aneeshm]

A true programmer must , in my opinion , be aple to pick up any ( high level ) language in about a month . Languages do matter , but only infosar as how expressive they are - how easily ( or rather , tersely ) a concept can be expressed using the chosen paradigm of that language .

"Elegant" languages are loved by academia and coders because they are expressive . "Standard" languages are loved by managers because then they can hire anybody to do the job for them . If languages are not elegant but are geared towards the lowest common denominator ( as was the purpose of Java ) , then coders become a commodity , and there is never a dearth of them when needed - but , being tailored for the lowest common denomiantor , the language can never never allow a coder to be as productive as he would be in another language .

 

[stormbind]

The framework certainly affects productivity, but not the language.

 

[Comraddict]

The framework certainly affects productivity, but not the language.

Yeah. I don't mind .net Framework... I can only think of number of hours I have saved by not debugging memory errors.
Unlike JVM, .net Framework doesn't seem to take big or any performance hit.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

For complex apps I say C++ all the way. In C++ you have way more control over managing memory. Java is a bit easier to use but there is a trade off in that you have less control over your app. For a web app or something simple I say use Java but in that case I would probably go with C#.

As far as the .NET framework goes I would recommend it for anything on the enterprise level. But for something simple which is often the case for many websites .NET is too robust and expensive.

 

[Xerol]

FreeBasic is my weapon of choice. All of the programs linked to in my sig were made with them. It supports pretty much any library that you can port the headers for (everything you can think of for making games except DirectX is available already) and it's really great for getting small and simple programs up VERY quickly.

 

[Lord Valentine]

Neither, C# is very well build Java and C++ hybrid. I enjoy using .NET Visual Studio, I disliked Java mess and poor development tools. I.e. Eclipse, most popular Java editor doesn't contain Form editor. NetBeans, second one, is bloatware.

Actually, Eclipse is a very powerful editor, but you just need to find the right plug-ins. Some useful links are http://www.eclipseplugincentral.com and http://www.eclipse.org/community/index.html.

Don't misunderstand me, I also like the VS.NET development UI, but that's quite expensive if you need to buy it yourself, while Eclipse is free, as well as many good plug-ins...

 

[HAND]

I'm learning Java at the moment, but computer science uni buddies of mine have said how they prefer Java over C++ any day. In their words "Java is nice, C++ is an awful language to learn."
I'm doing programming and web based stuff, so i'm learning Java with Javascript. Some Astrophysics buddies are using Fortran and C++.