OK, I'm going to ask...so be nice -- :o)

[dlt123me]

OK, I'm going to ask, although I'm not sure how to ask this... But first, just a little background on me... I have been out of the programming world for some time. My last software creations were in the DOS and Pascal days, but my programs were sophisticated apps for their time.

I have since learned C, C++ and C# and ventured into WPF. I haven't done much Windows programming and haven't written anything near as complicated as I did in the Pascal, DOS days. I have decided to venture into Java since I would like to write for the Droid platforms. I would also like to write apps for the Windows platform and I'm hoping Java is sophistocated enough in this platform to do so.

I have to admit I have never seen a Windows desktop application written in Java. Is it a reasonable assumption to think that applications written in Java for the Windows environment will live up to and be as comparable to apps written for the Window desktop environment? Do Java apps have the calibar of C++ or C# capabilities for Windows? Like I've said, I've never seen a Java Window app so have no idea how nice or bad they may look or act.

I want to write software apps using DB capabilities for both Windows and Droid applications. I want to write applications that can access, write and update my DB on both the Droid app and Windows app which will share the DB in their respective platfform. Is this making sense?

It looks like Java apps are not distributed in an EXE format but rather in a .class form. I'm not sure how this will work in the Windows platform for software distribution. It looks like whomever will run my apps will have to have the JRE or JVM on their system. Also not sure how they would get this..

So... is it reasonable to think that Java on Windows may not be a smart direction to go for Window desktop application creation? Should I stick with Win Forms or Win WPF programming for the Win platform?

As you can see, I have little to no experience in the Java world.

Any help is appreciated, and thanks in advance for fielding my questions.

Dennis

[pbrockway2]

I have decided to venture into Java since I would like to write for the Droid platforms. I would also like to write apps for the Windows platform and I'm hoping Java is sophistocated enough in this platform to do so.

It would depend on the precise specifications of your apps, but I would say yes. That said, Java does not appear to be widely as used as a language for Windows desktop apps. And that said, a couple of exceptions from the top of my head: If you program for Android the chances are you will use Eclipse ... a Java desktop application. Another is Archicad. I mention a CAD application because these tend to make huge demands on the client machine - db access, sophisticated GUI etc.

A poke around SourceForge or similar should provide a lot of examples of Java desktop applications.

Is it a reasonable assumption to think that applications written in Java for the Windows environment will live up to and be as comparable to apps written for the Window desktop environment? Do Java apps have the calibar of C++ or C# capabilities for Windows?

One answer might be that the performance of Java desktop apps is down to the skill of the programmer. Another - given that "live up to", "calibre" etc come from the lexicon of the marketing department - would be that it depends only on the rhetorical skills of the salesman.

I want to write software apps using DB capabilities for both Windows and Droid applications. I want to write applications that can access, write and update my DB on both the Droid app and Windows app which will share the DB in their respective platfform.

The real fun starts when applications on diverse platforms access the same database. This is not really a big concern since database access is part and parcel of all modern languages. If your application is to run on Android that might argue in favour of Java where the non database aspects of the code might be shared.

It looks like Java apps are not distributed in an EXE format but rather in a .class form. I'm not sure how this will work in the Windows platform for software distribution. It looks like whomever will run my apps will have to have the JRE or JVM on their system. Also not sure how they would get this..

The alternatives you mention are also frameworks that depend on the end user having the appropriate runtime installed, configured and kept updated. This aspect of Java deployment (and the options you have) are covered in, eg, Oracle's Tutorial.

(Edit: "Platform independence" is another marketing term, but it has some relevance here. If you go the Microsoft framework route (of whatever flavour) then others - Apple OSX, iOS, Linices - won't want to know about your EXEs and won't have the runtime environment to support them.)

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The above relates to Java as a language for desktop apps, but you might want to investigate JavaFX as well. (or, idk, it might be considered part of the same language...) From my brief googling JavaFX seems to have the most in common with WPF.

[dlt123me]

Ummm, some of what you said has me concerned and I will have to digest some of it. I haven't heard of JavaFX before, so will do some research into that.

The Java environment looks huge and has a lot of branches I need to look into.... Like will I have to move over into the JavaEE side of things if I want to develop Db apps?

What happened to MySQL? The last I seen, it was free-ware, but it looks like it has a cost involved to use it. Am I correct? Since Oracle has acquired it, are we not able to use it for free anymore? The world has changed under my feet and I haven't noticed.

I realize I can develop Web-based apps which would be compliant with my DB needs, but I still want to write stand-alone Window apps also.

Like I mentioned, I am new to Java and have a lot to learn. There is no doubt in my mind that if I am going to move towards the Droid platform I have no choice but Java. I was hoping there were mechanisms in place to smoothly slide into the Windows platform more easily as well... although, I've just begun my research into the Java maze.

Thank you for taking time to give your feedback. I'm still going to learn Java and hopefully find a slick way to leverage what I learn from it and slide smoothly into the Win App side also..

I know there has to be other ppl like myself who want to straddle both worlds. I guarantee I will find a solution to this somehow, or I'll just have to come peacefully.

You're feedback is appreciated.
Dennis

[DarrylBurke]

In future, please use a meaningful subject line. 'OK, I'm going to ask...so be nice -- :o)' isn't one.

Please go through the forum Rules and the Guide for New Members.

db

[dlt123me]

Yeah, I agree is was a dumb subject line... Sorry. Is there a way I can change the original posting? I tried, but the original still stays as originally added...
Dennis

[Tolls]

If you're writing an app for Android and you also want an app on Windows that'll do the same sort of thing, I'd say use Java. Code it properly and you should be able to reuse the core of the code (the business logic) with few changes between the two, leaving just the GUI side of things to sort out.

C# has some key advantages over Java on a pure Windows target in that it is integrated with the OS. But if you've got to write a Java program anyway (ie Android app) then that really falls by the wayside in my opinion.