Coding Java Apps and Games on Classic Amigas?

[gizz72]

Greetings,

I want to learn to code in Java. So...

* Can't I start here on the Amiga?
* Are there any tutorials or PL and other documentation for total beginners like me?
* Are there any certain requirements on Hardware/software?
* Should I need a background on other PL like Basic, ASM or C++, etc..?
* What are their similarities/differences from other PL?
* Is this JAVA 'package' available anywhere to be purchase or freely downloadable?
* Although, I found some JAVA on AMINET but I not sure which is recommendable?(A1200/030/16MB/1GBHDD)
* So I've heard JAVA is portable to other platform, If compilation is possible, can I port this to my Java Enabled Mobile? (Nokia 6600)

Thanks for the opinions, links, and info regarding JAVA.

Gizz

[Kent]

If you are starting from ground zilch, you should start with a solid foundation.  If you are sure you want Java as your language of choice, you should start with a damn good resource book for beginners.  The best recomendation I can give you is the Core Java Fundamentals Volume One.  Keep in mind that Java is good for starters, but you'll want to evaluate why you are looking at Java.  Currently Java is not in a good state on the Amiga, but it's slowly building up steam.  Next, look at the pros and cons of the languages and what you want to program overall.  Learn the core values and build a solid foundation.  If you want a good language to really dig into on the Amiga which can be taken to almost any platform, that would be C or C++.

:pint:  

[whabang]

Coding Java on the miggy wouldn't be much use, except for cell-phone applications, as the cell-phones have a similar computing capacity.

[BigBenAussie]

I guess I will be the first one to say it...
EDIT: Arrgh you beat me!!!

NO!!!

There is no Java for the classic Amiga line.
There is no AmigaOS hosted Java YET for the next gen Amiga line either.

There is a clean java virtual machine in the works called JAmiga but I would think that is only reasonable for the next gen machines and that is nowhere near complete either.

Also, AmigaDE, which is sure to be ported to the A1 at some point in the future and maybe even PegasOS will feature Java compilation, but that is probably limited to J2ME or personal Java dialects which are prominent on PDAs and perhaps your mobile phone. The difference in dialect may cause you to have trouble with the port of Java for the desktop without AmigaDE in that case.

You can buy the AmigaDE SDK right now if you like, but its take up appears to have been disasterously low, but I think everyone is hanging back to see if AmigaInc enhance it and whether it becomes integrated in the AmigaOS. IMHO it a cool tech and it would be a shame if it was not hosted as standard on AmigaOS.

Maybe if you run Linux on your classic hardware you might have a chance of writing java but even then I doubt it.

There is a vbcj(?) compiler which could theoretically be ported to give you Java on a classic machine but that is far far away from being finished and lacks almost all the graphics libraries you'd probably want to use.

Sorry, dude, I want to write in Java too, but we're SOL!!!
The Amiga platform, as it stands right now, is probably the worst platform to even consider writing stuff in Java for, even as a crossport to another platform.

What's the Java on Aminet all about? Is that Jamiga?

Dudes, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, which I could very well be.

[BigBenAussie]

I had the most fun learning Java initially by reading about Java game programming in Applets. I know people frown about applets(snobs) but I think they're really rather cool tech and a lot of fun to tinker with and jazz up your website.

I then went on to learn about the AWT and Swing graphics APIs which IMO feel cludgey compare to MS's VB API. A really good dev environment helps a lot if you're writing an App rather than a game as visually designing forms is a dream and something you may not see in an Amiga dev environment for some time, although I am sure people are plunking away at such a thing as we speak. JBuilder, and I'm sure Eclipse are two excellent environments. Maybe one day we'll see the Eclipse dev environment ported to Amiga, but then again, maybe not.

[gizz72]

@BigBen

On Aminet found 'Jikes' but I'm completely blank about these things.

Eclipse huh? A name to remember.

@Kent
Thanks. C and C++, I have little knowledge and getting rusty. I'm still waiting for the Dev CD for 3.5 I bought from SoftHut, but It seems to be in limbo somewhere in between. Along with AF6 and others.
All my schemes are pending for now. :-)

@Whabang
I'll take the risk and yes, it's a good start for my mobile. :-)

Regards

Gizz

[poktis]

i made (?) years ago  a java program : "hello world" on my 1200. It works well and doesn't require high computing capacity. LOL

I have to switch on the computer to explain you how to configure java. In text mode only, it's ok to start i think.

[odin]

Kent wrote:
you should start with a damn good resource book for beginners.  The best recomendation I can give you is the Core Java Fundamentals Volume One.

If anybody is interested; I have that book and am doing nothing with it. I can't look up the exact revision of the book atm, but it was bought in 2000. CD included ofcourse. P/Email me if y'r interested.

[gizz72]

@Odin

I'm interested. PM you awhile back.

Regards,

Gizz

[dambala]

I don't know anything about the combo AMIGA Java, but for sure I can say Java is a wonderfull language.
And now it is becoming faster, it has hardware acceleration on a lots of platforms, and in the future I bet that processors will have a microcode to exec bytecode directly.

I'm writing games (applets and not) in Java and I'm happy for the result. I've coded in assembly, C/C++ and other languages so I can see the differences.
Java is much simplier, and simplier to debug.

[Varthall]

There's a free Java interpreter available for Amiga: kaffe.
I've used it on my A1200/030 when I was studing the language, and for basic stuff like outputting text it works well, it's enough for beginners. I've read in some older post here that kaffe under linux on the same setup is 4 times faster, because of ixemul.library slowing down the interpreter, so if you want more speed I would recommend running it under linux.

Varthall

[gizz72]

@Varthall

I just posted a new thread awhile, the 'Is it possible to install ANY LinuxOS on a real Amiga?' thread to see if I can Run the Kaffe you mentioned. The OS given was Debian and some links, thanks to Brian and Ilwrath. Hopefully, I be able to learn to code in Java soon. Thanks also. :-)

Regards,

Gizz

[Varthall]

Ok. I would advise you to first try the Amiga version of Kaffe, it might be enough for your needs and it would be easier to install than Linux.

Varthall

[dambala]

I hope you'll be able to make Java run on Amiga, but...

In the case you doesn't make it work, then I suggest you to use Sun VM for Linux.

http://java.sun.com

It is perfect! It runs the same speed as the equivalent window version and it can use OpenGL acceleration.

EDIT:
Oops... maybe I missed the point.
I'm not sure Sun VM is avaible for Amiga Linux :-(

[Varthall]

No, sadly Sun's Java for Linux is compiled for x86 only.

Varthall