learning / training in java perl programmer?

[Philip Newton]

On Sat, Jul 31, 2010 at 5:24 PM, Aaron Trevena <aaron.trevena at gmail.com> wrote:
> can anybody recommend some good online/offline java introductions?
>
> I'm rather hoping I can get a scjp in my spare time over a couple of
> weeks on my own and then make a start on a proper trainging course
> after that.

Have you looked around for SCJP information?

I'm starting down that route and from what I've heard so far, being a
SCJP won't necessarily make you a good programmer, though you'll know
a fair bit about the language specification (what counts as
overloaded, when is something eligible for garbage collection, what
things are syntax errors and would be flagged by the compiler). So the
preparation you need for that is "teaching to the test" and learning
obscure tidbits.

SCJD, on the other hand, really asks you to develop a program, and is
the more "worthwhile" certification to have IMO. It does have SCJP as
a prerequisite, which is why I'm doing that one first. (You can also
do SCJA before SCJP, but I'm not sure who the audience for that is
supposed to be; managers, perhaps, or non-coding architects, but
probably not developers.)

So, basically saying, SCJP can be a good thing to have, especially as
a stepping-stone towards SCJD, but learning for SCJP won't necessarily
be a good introduction to *developing with Java* (as opposed to
learning about the Java compiler and the runtime environment, for
which is probably *is* a good introdcution).

Cheers,
Philip
-- 
Philip Newton <philip.newton at gmail.com>