Java learning, is a long road (paste)

Author: Cai Released Date: 2001-08-13 Visitors: 378


I started in Java 1.0 before the advent of Java, so many years passed, until now my Java learning process has not stopped. I read the original document, study the original code, writing procedures, I think the walk solid, do not expect sweeping. The old-fashioned way of learning like me is clearly running counter to the current fast-food doctrine. From the letters of many readers and the reactions of the students, I found that most of the people in Java learning process are similar: because the company needs to use Java for server planning, so hurry to learn the Java language, and then began to use the EE API, began to write the program. So hasty learning methods, the basic ability of the programmer is not enough, for the essence of the object is not mastered, the Java language within the operating mechanism is not known, the overall consistency of the API is ignorant.

Of course, we are not good enough to blame programmers, after all, software technology changes too quickly. It is impossible for the company to give programmers enough training before they start making plans. Programmers have been assigned to use a technology, have not figured out what a technology is, and are assigned to use B technology, and are all sewing way to learn and use, each time like a new beginning, not to mention the accumulation of technical energy.

I'm glad that I'm not so bothered. Because I am from the Department of Information Engineering (and I have always been very serious in school), so the theoretical foundation is solid, learning new technology is not difficult for me. When I was in college, many of my classmates looked down upon the so-called "college" courses in data structures, programming languages, and operating systems, thinking that they were not practical at all. They think that all the information they have learned in the company is out of the box, "as long as Visual Basic and the database are enough." This kind of deviation mentality, I am afraid will make them in the knowledge economy time to eat enough.

In addition, there are a lot of students despise the design work, they told me, like me to write programs, the future into the society "is not the people they walk under the management of the foot." Therefore, they neglect the study of the polytechnic courses, and even some people are quite enthusiastic about the "success of Learning", which is a shortcut to success, but the school's schoolwork has been abandoned. I can't believe that someone should be putting the cart before the horse.

People in the former category are too short-sighted and close, and the latter are too ambitious. I have been unable to understand why these people think this way, perhaps because of the social climate. I am glad that I have not been defiled by the big dyeing tank of society (preferably in this life). I don't think my way of learning is a model, but I have made some progress. Many letters from readers asked me about my course of study, although my personal learning style may not be applicable to everyone, but perhaps some reference value (especially for those young students who are interested in entering the information industry), I would like to briefly describe it through this article.


I have always used the first deep after the broad (also known as Bottom-up,deep-first) learning methods. For example, when I am learning a technology, I learn half of the need for B technology, I will go to the bookstore to find one or two B technology books, and then put a first, began to look at the B technology book. Even if I see an unfamiliar English sentence in a technical book, I will find an English grammar book to read in detail. This first deep after a wide range of learning, suitable for students in the era of comprehensive self-improvement, but not suitable for the industry. Imagine that the boss wants you to develop the ERP system has been delayed, how do you have the time to study the English grammar of the original document. The advantage of the first is that the study is very solid; the disadvantage is that it sometimes deviates too much from the subject. Once I found that I was going to learn a software technology, several times "first deep after the broad" down, I actually looked at Laozi's moral sutra.

Technically, I have always been a new person, few software technology can let me continue to study more than half a year, I almost every few months will change the field. Java can keep me going for so long, and it's because of the wide range of java. Through Java, my technical horizons have widened. Over the years, I have changed the Java related areas include: virtual machines, databases, business operations, multimedia, 2D/3D graphics, network ... etc.

My study is entirely interest-oriented, so the pressure is not big. Because of interest, so I would like to fully understand all the details. Also because of understanding, so many original pieces of definitely knowledge can gradually mutual mastery, accumulation of technical energy, theoretical and practical barriers between the broken, learning efficiency doubled.

I've been a keen learner for years, and I've always been quick to learn forward-looking techniques. For example, when Java was still in beta, UML was 0.8, and XML was draft, I had to download the technical files through the web and read them every day. And after the popular Java, UML, XML, I have almost touched these technologies.

As to what technology to learn, my way of judging is based on the pros and cons of technology to decide. Excellent and unique technology is my favorite, although this kind of technology may not win in the market, but learning these technologies can be inspired by the accumulation of technical energy and the ability to upgrade will be quite helpful. As for the technology is poor, but the market demand is very high, I still don't bother to touch. (All right!) I admit that I have learned MFC for the sake of market demand. The more clear MFC technical details, the more hate it, this is a painful experience. ）

I usually only read technical data in English, after all, most of the first-hand technical information is spread in English. So I started reading English technical data very early. The advantage of reading technical data in English is that even if you have not learned the professional knowledge of the book, at least I have accumulated the ability to read English, I have always been this attitude. At first it was sat to read English technical books, dictionaries, translators on the side; a few years down, now is lying, watching, look at the English technical books, because reading English technology books become a habit. Now, I can absorb the knowledge of English technical books quickly (some people call me "the book-Eating Machine", which I regard as a compliment).
In recent years, I have spent less time writing programs because time is precious to me and writing programs is a waste of time. For beginners, a lot of writing procedures is necessary, but after a certain stage, the writing process brought about by the technical capacity of the growth has reached the limit, but also spend a little more time reading, learning new technologies and new ideas.
I have been learning to write a program from a small country for nearly 18 years, and it has been nearly ten years since I studied intensively in this way. Recently several years, I have been in contact with more and more fields, and learning speed is accelerating, I think that the previous efforts to plant the root of the growth of the seedlings. Look at me now, perhaps you will feel envy, but looking back on this period of study, it is not a long road.