How multi-platform is java actually?

esper · n00b Joined: 19 Aug 2007 Posts: 6 Location: FL

I've not done any development in java, but I've heard from friends who do that the multi-platform concept of the language is more myth than reality. Can anyone way on that?
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speeddemon · Apprentice Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 162

I still don't like java, but for the most part everything I've done was very portable (as in no change in code needed). That being said, I always used everything Sun. Not sure on how the other jvm's would perform. It also depends on what you consider portability. Stuff written for desktop environments won't run on cell phones (Java ME). You also have to consider what version you are using while writing the program, and make sure the target systems have everything you plan on using. If you use a class that isn't supported in an older version, of course you'll have problems trying to port a program to a machine with that older version.

Im sure there are portability problems here and there, but I've never run into any when making stuff run between windows, *nix and mac. Somebody else that has will probably chime in, and hopefully elaborate.
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esper · n00b Joined: 19 Aug 2007 Posts: 6 Location: FL

I'm considering abandoning python as my language for web apps and non text parsing/misc apps simply to force myself to learn java more intimately. There are so few python dev jobs in my area that, as much as I love the language, it makes more sense on a career standpoint to go with something that I could spit in the wind and hit a job offer. My concern for portability is simply to see just how convoluted of a virtual cloud will I need to put together.
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Faith is a cop-out. If the only way you can accept an assertion is by faith, then you are conceding that it can’t be taken on its own merits.
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speeddemon · Apprentice Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 162

I really hesitate to ever recommend java, as I think its just a horrible language. I also don't have any python experience. However since you are thinking about this from a career standpoint, then yes I would try and learn it if I were you. It is in pretty wide use. As much as I hate it, I still keep using it here and there, and I have made money from programs written in it (writing a cell phone app in it right now).
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jdmulloy · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 5:20 am Post subject:

esper · n00b Joined: 19 Aug 2007 Posts: 6 Location: FL

I actually despise java. I tried learning it way back when I first started to teach myself programming (about 6 years ago). Unfortunately my choices are .net, php, or java. I refuse to be locked into windows only development (no one is doing production with mono) so scratch .net. I hate php even more than java for some irrational reason, so scratch that. I don't want to get into c++/c development since my primary focus is web apps, so scratch that. RoR is still crap and I really don't want to spend more time trying to get the damn VM to stop devouring every resource in sight than actually working on my ideas (and its still fairly niche, at least in south florida). So I end up defaulting to java as my quickest way out of sys admin work while I'm stuck in this penis state.
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Faith is a cop-out. If the only way you can accept an assertion is by faith, then you are conceding that it can’t be taken on its own merits.
- Dan Barker

big dave · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 5:41 am Post subject:

slower than c/c++
requires a compliant version of the JVM installed... which sucks because so many of them have been super-fragmented.
ridiculously poor string handling (compared to scripting languages like php, perl, python, etc)
makes me want to stab myself in the face when dealing with a database

jdmulloy · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 5:54 am Post subject:

runningwithscissors · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 6:11 am Post subject:

It is cross-platform enough for its target market. It has VMs available for the more common server hardware.
So, regardless of how unpleasant it is, it fills its niche pretty well.

If you're looking to do web dev however, I wouldn't recommend java. There are (sadly) plenty of java web apps and you will certainly find work with java web dev skills, but it is so cumbersome to work with if all you want to do is make a few websites. Reconsider PHP (it's actually quite nice, and was created specifically for web development). .net is quite pleasant to work with but it will lock you in to working on MS-only stuff.
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Akkara · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 6:16 am Post subject:

tylerwylie · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 6:17 am Post subject:

If I have to script for a JVM I find myself using Groovy more and more(OpenNMS scripting for my job)
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runningwithscissors · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 6:35 am Post subject:

big dave · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 6:45 am Post subject:

esper · n00b Joined: 19 Aug 2007 Posts: 6 Location: FL

wswartzendruber · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 7:14 am Post subject:

petrjanda · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 8:04 am Post subject:

I dont like Java. Its slow and GUI applications made in it dont look very good. Personally I like Ruby, but have been learning C++ to compliment that.
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pigeon768 · l33t Joined: 02 Jan 2006 Posts: 617

Dr.Willy · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:49 am Post subject:

esper · n00b Joined: 19 Aug 2007 Posts: 6 Location: FL

Yes, its a painful process. I'll likely use python purely for prototyping concepts then try to flesh them out in java. This is going to be painful :/
_________________
Faith is a cop-out. If the only way you can accept an assertion is by faith, then you are conceding that it can’t be taken on its own merits.
- Dan Barker

Dr.Willy · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:05 am Post subject:

Has anyone seriously tried Jython here?

Shining Arcanine · Veteran Joined: 24 Sep 2009 Posts: 1110

Traffixxx · n00b Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 46

marens · Apprentice Joined: 05 Aug 2004 Posts: 157

Check http://wicket.apache.org/ for learning java while coding web applications.

speeddemon · Apprentice Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 162

I always love seeing these threads were everyone rips on java, just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

I didn't even think of PHP, but I always liked it (have the least complaints about it), and its been my choice for web apps when I had the choice. Though usually I was doing rather straightforward database stuff with it, no real chance to run into complications.

Kenji Miyamoto · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 2:01 pm Post subject: