The main language covered during our course at UWS is C++, but we also have several classes based around Java. If I’m honest I’m not as comfortable working with Java as I am with C++ or even C#, this may be due to the slightly different methodology involved with working with applets and MIDlets, as when I first started with Java we were studying the more standard style of programming.
MIDlets
The bulk of the work I will be investigating through Java will be based around creating MIDlets. This is mainly due to the fact that our coursework for our ‘Mobile and Web Gaming’ module will consist of a MIDlet developed by our team, (one other programmer and an animator). We were offered the opportunity to create something for either the Android platform or the Windows Phone 7 platform. We chose to stay with Java however as we felt that we needed to work on a more general and widely applicable skillset than Android or XNA/Silverlight. Obviously the Android platform continues to grow, and the Windows Phone 7 platform, with the option of XNA or Silverlight development also seems to have got of to a fairly good start and working in either of these areas would be beneficial, however Java is still a more widely used format and after graduation I personally would be more comfortable in the job market if I have a strong base in Java and C++, rather than weaker understanding of 4 or 5 platform specific languages. ( I struggle to see any scenario when I would voluntarily learn objective-c).