Talk:Java Programming/Introduction

"public static void main (String[] args)" <-- what is the purpose of this incantation? --JWSchmidt 17:34, 23 March 2007 (UTC)


 * Good question. How is my explanation? Dmclean 18:18, 23 March 2007 (UTC)
 * Just fine, thanks. --JWSchmidt 19:46, 23 March 2007 (UTC)

installing JDK on Linux
I don't really know what I am doing, so I'm not adding this to the article, but surely there's an easier way to install JDK on Linux than the one described, using the distro's package manager. Well in fact I know there is on Ubuntu at least, because I just installed it that way. Of course I don't know if there is some draw back to doing it this way. If someone more experienced than me could put the info up that would be great.--Keithonearth 17:44, 17 August 2009 (UTC)

Gaps in Instructions May Impede Beginners
As a total novice in computer programming (which I assume is who we expect to be reading this introduction), I can attest that the directions for installing and running the compiler as well as directing Window's command prompt to open the directory presumes a level of knowledge that probably isn't there for most beginners. I had to go to an outside resource to learn how to navigate the command line to where it needed to go and it wasn't until after that that I realized the NetBeans package I installed did not include the JDK which contains the compiler. I then had to install the JDK separately to even get the compiler and it took a long while before I realized that even though there is a folder for JDK in \Program Files (x86)\, the compiler is actually located in the folder in \Program Files\. This brought me closer to finally displaying "Hello World!", but the command prompt was mentioning something about its access being denied. After much trial, error, and Googling, I learned that Windows 7 security settings are too strict to allow access and you must edit the User's security permissions for the folder before this exercise is even possible.

So in short, there are many little trip-ups along the way that most beginners won't anticipate and that aren't mentioned in the instructions. I think we need to address these in the instructions lest we discourage people from programming. Berserk798 03:06, 29 September 2011 (UTC)