[PEHowland]

I'll soon be getting my first Apple (iMac G5). AS well as the usual stuff, I'd like to do some development on it, primarily for fun and for my own education. I do a little bit of Java development at work, but not much - unfortunately I'm more of a manager than developer these days. So, my question is quite simple. For fun programming on the Mac, what would you recommend, and why? Java, or Objective-C? If Objective-C, what's the best way to learn (books, tutorials, etc)?

[PBG4 User]

If you want development to be fun, then work in Objective-C. I say this because Interface Builder keeps you from hand-coding the GUI and turns it into a fun game of drag-n-drop. Plus you can wire up basic actions (like setting a button to toggle showing/hiding a drawer) without having to write a lick of code.

What got me moving with Obj-C development was Eric Tremblay's 2-day course ( www.macdev.ca ). Now, unless you live near Biloxi you won't be able to take this class so the next best solution would be to get Aaron Hillegass' book, Cocoa Programming for Mac OS X. This is the Amazon link to the book: --> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0321213149/

This book forms the basis of a week-long course given at the big nerd ranch ( www.bignerdranch.com ) and comes highly recommended. If you buy this in a store, make sure you have the 2nd edition as the latest edition works with XCode while the 1st edition works with Project Builder. Not that there are huge differences, but XCode's layout is a bit different.

Believe it or not, Cocoa Programming for Dummies is also a good primer on Obj-C / Interface Builder programming as well.

[hayesk]

I second that recommendation. I have Aaron's first edition of his book. It's great, and his web site has an area where you can discuss the challenges in his book, so you aren't left high and dry.

I would only use Java if you need your code to be cross-platform.

[larkost]

I would recommend either. If you already know Java, then it would be easier to stick with Java and just learn to use Cocoa-Java. You get the exact same process to wire up nice interfaces (all the same options... only the naming conventions change) with the familiar language. Cocoa-Java is not portable, so any applications written with it would be strictly MacOS X, but it is a very powerful and fun environment.

I have use both Cocoa-Java and Obj-C-Cocoa, and find them both to be great languages. Obj-C does have it's own great features that take object orientation in a slightly different direction, but Java's syntax is generally easier to read.

[PEHowland]

Thanks for the advice guys. I've ordered the book recommended above from Amazon, as well as another one Amazon recommended to partner it (I fall for their marketing every time...) and will give Objective-C a shot. It's always fun to try something new.

Now, anyone got any good ideas for a programming project?

[Graymalkin]

Start off following the examples in your new books but once you've got those done I'd suggest you take an aspect of a hobby you enjoy and write a program to help you do it. Let's say you like cross-country hiking; write a program that helps you log your hikes and manipulates that data in some way or performs calculations based on it. In the case of a hiking log beautify the data and draw some charts using Quartz 2D and print them out (paste them on your refrigerator to impress your friends) or perform caloric burn calculations and figure out how physical fit your hikes are making you.

Many programs despite their bells and whistles just provide means to input data into a computer and then summarize that data to make it easier to get a handle on. Using a hobby or something else you enjoy as the basis of your programming projects tends to make you more apt to follow through with them since you've got a good understanding of what you're trying to accomplish and you've got a stake in the completion of your work.