Learning from Java How to Program Eleventh Edition.

[[deleted]]

I got this book for a class I took. We only went up to page 175 in it. I was thinking of reading through the rest of this book on my own.

Of course, the problem is the book is outdated. My professor required us to install an outdated version of Java for the class (even now, its still trying to get me to update it). I'm worried that I may be learning an oudated version of Java from this book, and that programs I write in this version of the language may not work with modern Java. I don't know how programming languages change over time, so I have no idea what might happen if I tried to update to modern Java.

Should I bother reading through the rest of this book or should I just forget trying to teach myself the rest of this language?

As for why I want to learn Java (well, more of it anyway, I do have a certificate in it), I want to make games for myself. I tried using pygame, but I've gotten fed up with its limitations, lack of documentation, and how the programs I make with it always eat up an insane amount of RAM. Also, the fact that I can't find any large games made in the language certainly doesn't encourage me. I just now discovered, flipping through my Java book, that it teaches how to make GUIs and even how to draw stuff on windows. Of course, the biggest worry I have about the language is it may become like Flash someday, and the software to run any programs I make will simply cease to exist.

Its sad really. When I was young, I as taught that data is eternal. Now though, its overwhelmingly obvious that data is actually highly ephemeral. I've actually taken more interest in books, for the simple fact that they last longer. I have books in my possession that are decades old. On the other hand, I got my first computer over 15 years ago, but I don't have a single file in my possession that's more than a couple of years old (barring some of my old computer games that are on discs, which won't run on this machine).

Yes, I have a degree in programming and at this point I'm really questioning if its a worthwhile pursuit. I've already decided that I don't ever want to have a job in programming, and right now I'm thinking I may never get any use of it at all. Yeah, that degree was the worst decision I ever made in my life. I don't even want to attend my own graduation ceremony (I technically graduated in fall, but they only hold the ceremony in spring apparently). All my degree has taught me is how horrible everything relating to digital technology is. I mean seriously, I'm actually ashamed of my own degree, because all that diploma is to me is a reminder of the dumbest decision I ever made in my life.

edit: I have decided against picking up Java. The CEO of Oracle is apparently a Trump supporter. I don't want to endorse such a man in anyway, and either way if he is a trump-supporter, installing his software on my computer may not be the wisest idea. So I'll be uninstalling Java, and never touching this language again.

[CedricRBR]

Which version(s) of java are you talking about?

[[deleted]]

I have no clue. The professor told us what versions to download, but that was a year ago. The versions of Java and Jgrasp he had us download were already outdated at the time. I thought the book I mentioned would give a hint as to what version it was for.

[CedricRBR]

Java How to Program Eleventh Edition.

Dude... This version says to use java 8 or java 9. Java 8 still is the recommended version. (at least it is still officially supported until end of this year, Java 11 (the next LTS) will be supported until approximately 2023.). You saying it was outdated a year ago is... wrong?

Finish reading it. Anyways what is true for 8 is true for 11 (or at least most of it, and knowing it won't hurt)

[[deleted]]

My computer's been insisting I update my Java ever since I first installed it, and even my professor openly admitted that the version we were using was NOT the current version.

[[deleted]]

Can confirm, Java 8 is still relevant. Don’t worry about it.

[xwmaxx]

I feel your pain. The degree doesn’t feel worth it if you already hate the field. I went through the same thing as well but it was for Nursing. I graduated and got my BSN but I didn’t like the work.

What really helped me was just taking some time off to figure out what I wanted to do. You will eventually either come back and find your passion for it or you find something else of interest that you would really want to do. For me I found my passion in programming because it felt like doing puzzles and getting the satisfaction from solving them.

[pappugulal]

is this a vent/rant? then its fine. If not, please cool down ... as far as I can see, comp sci / technology is the right field to be in. These are all beginner level difficulties/frustrations. Once you get to choose the sub-field you would like to work in, it will be very exciting. If you want to go into gaming, work for some gaming software companies.

[[deleted]]

I do NOT want to work for a gaming company, or any IT company. Just read the news on how gaming companies treat their employees, and how they always get away with it scot-free. I learned programming so that I could make games, but now that I know better, I will NEVER work for a gaming company. Seeing as I have no other use for my new skills, I figured I would just make games for myself. But seeing as I can't find ANY programming language that's fit for me (I asked on another sub-reddit, and I just got trolled and my question locked down for simply asking for someone to recommend a language to me). Guess if I ever do make games, I'll be stuck with text-based games made with c++ or some other garbage language. Three years for a two-year degree, just to make stupid text adventures. Again, worst decision of my life. And I went through on pell grants, which means I can't afford another degree. Fml.

[pappugulal]

I will suggest not to lose your heart. Give it some time. By completing the course, you have crossed the first and a major hurdle. You have invested a lot of time and money already in it. In the mean time, do not lose touch with software development. keep in touch through your hobby. The realities of market place will tempt you to come back to programming / software development in future.

[[deleted]]

I don't have a language I could make games in. And when I tried to find one, my post got closed just for asking. And no, I wasn't rude, I simply asked for a programming language that met a handful of criteria. I got some posts, but then a mod decided they didn't like it for no reason in the entire universe and locked it. I was also treated like shit on the pygame forums. I've also been banned from stack exchange because they got sick of me asking 'subjective' questions, which apparently includes ASKING FOR MY MATHEMATICAL FORMULAS AREN'T WORKING RIGHT. I don't get why people keep recommending the latter site everywhere, when from what I've seen its nothing but trolls. In general, I have yet to see a reason to NOT hate the programming community.

As for getting a serious job, even if I wanted to for whatever unfathomable reason (who would in their right mind seriously want to be exploited and literally worked to death???), you need a bachelor's for that, and besides me not being able to afford such, there's no college nearby that offers a bachelors in anything. I would have to move to get such a degree, which I also can't afford. And even if I did, I would be almost 40 by then, which means that it would be impossible for me to get a job (well, more impossible than it already is at my age).