Going to college w/major in computer science

[typosoft]

I am off to my first year of college in a couple months at Louisiana Tech. I will be majoring in computer science. I have heard and I am pretty sure they teach students through use of C, but I have also heard they are now teaching by way of Java. I know there are some CS grads out there, could you please clarify this for me and maybe offer some advice. Should I have a basic knowledge of the language before I go to my first class?

Also, people have been telling me that Java will soon rule supreme over C in the commercial programming world. Is this true? Are any commercial games programmed in Java?

[Ninkazu]

Java is too much crap, it will never rule supreme. Maybe to C, but not C++. If it does, then I think many people will go postal up in Redmond...

[Agamemnus]

java is crap. C is almost perfect, however.

[DrV]

java slooooow. c faaaast. 'nuff said.

[na_th_an]

You are wrong. Java will master in commercial game developing market very soon. It is slow 'cause it is run by a software virtual machine... What if that machine was implemented on hardware?

In fact, modern cell phones' apps are written in Java. Thos colourful 2D games with nice GFX and music are written in Java. In fact, you can play it on your PC using the JVM...

I know Java because of college, and soon I'll be researching on game design using JDK, so I can begin selling my crappy 2D games for the cell phone audience. And you people who still like 2D gaming and 2D games programming should consider begin investing knowledge into the area, 'cause what you like can give you money.

Also, Java is one of the best designed languages I've touch. That's why I think C++ is such a crappy mess. In fact, at my college (one of the best in Europe at the subject) they replaced C++ by Java some years ago to teach OO programming, 'cause C++ OO approach is like a pasticchio composite. C is way better.

And Typo, you don't have to know any languages prior entering, commonly. Most people that I know didn't have a PC when they began...

[toonski84]

Java and C/C++ both hold their respective qualities. C/C++, and for the most part ASM will always be around, simply because of the power of the compilers available for it. You won't see John Carmack switch to Java for Doom 4 for a very good reason.

Java, however, is about to play a very big role in the market because it is cross-platform, and the most popular language that is so. It means a program can run on a cell phone, a laptop, a mac, a pda, etc. Once this kind of connectivity is reached, Java will be the application used for things that aren't high-performance like games or photoshop, because it has power enough for things like word, and there will be no need to port. But that day's yet to come, and it may not. So it's a gamble.

Personally, I'd learn both. I mean, it couldnt hurt.

[Ninkazu]

Ya, I'll be learning Java in Junior year (after summer IOW). I almost forgot it was cross-platform. Heh, even Toshi's trying to make QB programs work in Java ;P

[Blitz]

Java is for platform independent buisness applications. Not games, the only reason it's used on cellphones is becuase each phone is very different from another. And a game developer can't write 100 versions of the same game.

C/C++ is for power, they are the most proffesional languages ever made IMO simply becuase they give you everything you'd ever need. In games you have loads of linked lists and tree structures. Without pointers they just aren't effective.

Java was made for monkies. And that's why most university proffesors prefer teaching their students programming using it.
Everything has it's use, but one things for sure. No language will ever replace C and C++. Espcially Java or any other simple language.

Beginners want a simple language, but proffesionals need power and flexibility. Need i say more?

[Ninkazu]

Need i say more?

No you need not

[na_th_an]

My post can be misunderstood. Java won't replace C/C++, but it will be as important in a near future.