[23:48] <GambitDeclined> Hi All, I want to learn Java (I programmed in BASIC about 35 years ago, no kidding), and all the books I have picked up are SUN (Oracle?) Java -- in the interest of learning, should I start off with the sun java SDK suggested in these books or... well, what do you think?
[23:48] <GambitDeclined> I primarily use Debian and Ubuntu at home.
[23:49] <GambitDeclined> Assuming anyone is awake. :-)
[23:49] <persia> This channel tends to be more about how Java is packaged in Ubuntu.
[23:50] <persia> For questions about Java itself, ##java is preferred.
[23:50] <persia> This channel tends to be more about how Java is packaged in Ubuntu.
[23:50] <persia> For questions about Java itself, ##java is preferred.
[23:51] <GambitDeclined> Yeah, I know, but it was a general preference I was looking for among fellow linux users.
[23:51] <persia> I understand, but I'm not convinced that the folk here are prepared to answer your questions.
[23:51] <GambitDeclined> persia, I didn't really think of it as a coding question, but if you think I'll have more luck there I'll see what they have to tell me.
[23:52] <GambitDeclined> persia, Thanks.
[23:52] <persia> I will say that I've spent time developing Java in a windows environment that was tested in a linux environment and deployed to an OS/400 environment: the key bit is really making sure you have the library support you need.
[23:52] <persia> Everything else is syntax, for which ##java is a wonderful resource.
[23:53] <persia> If you're just learning, I'll suggest playing robocode for a while.  handy way to sharpen your skills, and fun
[23:54] <persia> 1.6.2 is in the repos.
[23:54] <GambitDeclined> persia, Okay, I'll poke my head in there and see what they think about using openjava with books oriented to sunjava. Assuming that I'm even using the right terms.
[23:54] <GambitDeclined> persia, I'll take a look at robocode as well.
[23:55] <persia> They can probably advise better.  Last information I have from Sun is ~22 months old, and it was that internally Sun was only working on OpenJDK for the future, but there's been lots of changes since then (e.g. ORACLE)
[23:55] <GambitDeclined> Yeah, Oracle seems to be eating all the old standby's up.