5 replies to this topic

[Psychotron]

I know that Java is easier than C++. What I'd really like to learn is C++, but I'm having a hard time in school and am thinking that it may be easier if I just took the Java path. If I take Java when I look back I don't want to say: "I should have done C++" I want to say "Good thing I did Java, I wouldn't have been able to do C++."

So I'm wondering, how much easier is Java, or how much harder is C++ I guess I should say. I think I would be able to grasp Java, but I don't want to take C++ and have it go way over my head and end up dropping.

I want to make video games if that matters, but realize it's very difficult to break into the game industry and will probably do something else.

Thanks, Brad

[WingedPanther]

If you know one well, you can learn the other. Java has a larger networking and graphics library than C++, but C++ has more flexibility and a larger algorithms library. They are close enough that you can transition from one to the other, but I suspect going from C++ to Java will be easier.

[Alexander]

C++ due to its flexibility does not have any standardized thread library (yet), networking library or graphical library. Java however can easily create applets to run online, and has a fairly good networking library which can be implemented with games well.

If you were to get in to game design, I am sure learning Java (and being able to write more for less code (unlike Direct X, OpenGL, game engines or other larger multimedia libraries in C++)) will be more beneficial while still learning all the basics you would need to get in to C++ if you ever so would later down the road.

Java is cross platform too and has a native interface (JNI) for multimedia libraries, so it can be certainly a valid choice over C++ for game development.

You are however running under a virtual machine and have somewhat less abilities to write more computer intensive applications although rendering and medium 3D seems to do well in it.

[WingedPanther]

Also, there is no JVM for some platforms, such as iPad.

[fayyazlodhi]

To add some code level differences specially from the perspective of a learning student:

• When i was learning c/c++, i was under the impression that i get to SEE every part of what's happening written in code right in front of me. If there is an api called, i can go look into it's implementation.
  
• When we were taught a java programming course and we reached the topic threads i was like "WOW today we would know" (I hadn't done any threads like thing in c/c++ until then). I was very disappointed when i came to know that to do any thing in java, you have a package to import, create an instance of a class and start calling it's functions. It's true that you can still dig into those. But still on the whole java is much on the surface while hiding a lot of what is going on behind. Even if you dissect the code, at max you can go up to byte code from which you have no further understanding.
  
• Of course there are advantages with java having libraries for doing almost every thing and it is portable because JVM was written for all platforms. No such effort has been done for c/c++. But you do get a pretty rich API in for e.g. POSIX standard for networking, graphics, threads, signals all of which run unfortunately only on Linux like systems.
  
• I would also say Pointers and no pointers are a huge difference and learning curve between c vs java world.
  
• The basic impact is what sort of code you ultimately write. 5 of my batch mates who have been interested in java are programming in enterprise, health care, databases and web world.
  
• The ones more inclined towards c and c++ are writing system level software.

[Alexander]

WingedPanther said:

Also, there is no JVM for some platforms, such as iPad.

This is to be noted. There are also open source implementations (i.e. the Android has one) that have been making some break in the mobile user base. iPad is much more restricted however so this is hard to do without control of the system.