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Introduction to Java online course?

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  • 17-08-2014 5:18pm
    #1
    Decos
    Registered Users Posts: 243 ✭✭


    Hi guys,

    Im starting a Software Development course in September and Java will be one of the main languages we will be learning. Over the last few months I have been doing the Harvard Introduction to Computer Science (CS50) online course which covers C and I find it pretty good.

    Id like to get a few weeks headstart and do an online intro to Java course. Can anyone recommend one? I have no Java experience.

    Any help appreciated

    Thanks


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    #2
    SimonTemplar
    Registered Users Posts: 2,815 ✭✭✭SimonTemplar


    I really recommend this channel

    http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9DF6E4B45C36D411

    The tutor's website also has paid courses (around €25) for other Java topics such as Servlets, Swing, Spring, but that beginners course is free. He responds quickly to any comments and queries too.

    Tutor's website is www.caveofprogramming.com


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    #3
    L.Jenkins
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 19,240 Mod ✭✭✭✭L.Jenkins


    Have a look at Code Academy: http://www.codecademy.com/ Doesn't just cater to Java, but a variety of other languages also.


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    #4
    croo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 1,333 Mod ✭✭✭✭croo


    Similar question http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=89606819 (and answers).
    First lesson of any programming language ... learn to use google! ;)


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    #5
    Decos
    Registered Users Posts: 243 ✭✭Decos


    Thanks all, ill check those out.
    croo wrote: »
    Similar question http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=89606819 (and answers).
    First lesson of any programming language ... learn to use google! ;)
    Hah, i knew someone would say that :) I did do a quick search on this forum but didnt find that particular thread. Better start honing my skills googling eh!


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    #6
    Evil Phil
    Registered Users Posts: 7,468 ✭✭✭Evil Phil


    The official Java Tutorials are a good start too: http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/


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    #7
    chrislad
    Registered Users Posts: 8,324 ✭✭✭chrislad


    SimonTemplar wrote: »
    I really recommend this channel

    http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9DF6E4B45C36D411

    The tutor's website also has paid courses (around €25) for other Java topics such as Servlets, Swing, Spring, but that beginners course is free. He responds quickly to any comments and queries too.

    Tutor's website is www.caveofprogramming.com

    I'd second the Cave of Programming. I did the Spring course earlier in the year, and it was very well done.


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    #8
    Buford T Justice
    Registered Users Posts: 6,250 ✭✭✭Buford T Justice


    chrislad wrote: »
    I'd second the Cave of Programming. I did the Spring course earlier in the year, and it was very well done.

    Is it not just a case of him showing you what to do? In so far as I watched the free ones he has there, and it was good. You could follow along what he was doing alright, but there was no in depth explanation of why you should be doing something, instead it was just a case of 'do this, then this'


    Were you able to set off building a web program after him showing you how to use spring?


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    #9
    SimonTemplar
    Registered Users Posts: 2,815 ✭✭✭SimonTemplar


    Buford T Justice wrote: »
    Is it not just a case of him showing you what to do? In so far as I watched the free ones he has there, and it was good. You could follow along what he was doing alright, but there was no in depth explanation of why you should be doing something, instead it was just a case of 'do this, then this'


    Were you able to set off building a web program after him showing you how to use spring?

    It depends on how you follow the course. Personally, I write code and take notes as I am watching his tutorials. Passively watching the tutorials like a movie won't get you very far. For Spring at least, he does explain why he is using a particular class or what a certain XML configuration does.

    And yes, I am able to build a Spring web app after the course (by consulting the notes I made).

    However, it is a good introduction to Spring but it isn't everything. It is a good introduction to the framework and gives a good overview of the core libraries and concepts. To grow your Spring knowledge, I recommend a good book or even the official docs. The benefit of doing a course like Cave of Programming first is that you've already seen Spring in action so you have some experience and context when delving into the more advanced topics. That's how I like to learn technologies anyway - an online course to get a broad overview and then a book/documentation to learn it in detail.

    If you go down that route and are looking for a Spring tutorial, I think Cave of Programming is the best out there. You get a lot of bang for your buck.


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    #10
    chrislad
    Registered Users Posts: 8,324 ✭✭✭chrislad


    Buford T Justice wrote: »
    Is it not just a case of him showing you what to do? In so far as I watched the free ones he has there, and it was good. You could follow along what he was doing alright, but there was no in depth explanation of why you should be doing something, instead it was just a case of 'do this, then this'


    Were you able to set off building a web program after him showing you how to use spring?

    Yes, I built a completely different site to what he did. I used this as a starting point, and I had to research the why as it was for a college final year project. Obviously didn't do too bad, as I got an A1A1 for it, and won an IBM Open Source prize! :D


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    #11
    Buford T Justice
    Registered Users Posts: 6,250 ✭✭✭Buford T Justice


    chrislad wrote: »
    Yes, I built a completely different site to what he did. I used this as a starting point, and I had to research the why as it was for a college final year project. Obviously didn't do too bad, as I got an A1A1 for it, and won an IBM Open Source prize! :D


    Fair play.

    Did you have a background in Servlets and Java for the web beforehand?


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    #12
    chrislad
    Registered Users Posts: 8,324 ✭✭✭chrislad


    Buford T Justice wrote: »
    Fair play.

    Did you have a background in Servlets and Java for the web beforehand?

    I did as I had done a module in OOD as well as Distributed Systems with Enterprise Beans. Part of the project was a how frameworks aided NFRs


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    #13
    red dave
    Closed Accounts Posts: 845 ✭✭✭red dave


    I'd highly recommend The New Boston tutorials. I've done the Cave of Programming and New Boston Java tutorials and for me The New Boston tuts were much better. Bucky came across much more knowledgeable on the topics covered and explained really well. Different folks/different strokes and all that of course.

    edit: Actually IIRC I done both of the new boston and cave of programming tuts in conjunction with each other that seemed to help me.


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