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(1) No, not really. Most of the Java development I read about is non-web (although a lot of apps written in it do access networks for various purposes).<br />
<br />
If you look at <a href="http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/getStarted/index.html" rel="ugc">http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/getStarted/index.html</a>&nbsp;, you will note that it covers applications as well as applets. (JSP and Servlets aren't covered in the basics).<br />
<br />
(2) Java is more mature and more cross platform (at least for the time being).
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(1) No, not really. Most of the Java development I read about is non-web (although a lot of apps written in it do access networks for various purposes).

If you look at http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/getStarted/index.html [http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/getStarted/index.html] , you will note that it covers applications as well as applets. (JSP and Servlets aren't covered in the basics).

(2) Java is more mature and more cross platform (at least for the time being).

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(1) Yes, you can develop stand-alones using Java.<br />
<br />
(2) Briefly this is my experience:<br />
<br />
If you want to develop for multiple platforms, use Java<br />
VB can be used to quickly create user-friendly apps<br />
And to optimize for performance, I'd use C++
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(1) Yes, you can develop stand-alones using Java.

(2) Briefly this is my experience:

If you want to develop for multiple platforms, use Java
VB can be used to quickly create user-friendly apps
And to optimize for performance, I'd use C++

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Thank you for all your replies. &nbsp;They were all very helpful.<br />
Erwin<br />

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Thank you for all your replies.  They were all very helpful.
Erwin


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<div class="content wysiwyg-content">
Hi,<br />
<br />
This is a 2 part question.<br />
<br />
1) I know Java is primarily a programming language for web development, but can you write non-web standalone applications with it as well, such as with C and VB?<br />
<br />
2) I'm trying to evaluate if I should learn Java or one or more of .NET suite. &nbsp;Is there someone out there who does both well who can shed light on the pros and cons of both and which .NET is equivalent to Java?<br />
<br />
Thanks in advance.<br />
Erwin
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Hi,

This is a 2 part question.

1) I know Java is primarily a programming language for web development, but can you write non-web standalone applications with it as well, such as with C and VB?

2) I'm trying to evaluate if I should learn Java or one or more of .NET suite.  Is there someone out there who does both well who can shed light on the pros and cons of both and which .NET is equivalent to Java?

Thanks in advance.
Erwin

Standalone applications in Java

Web development can range from developing the simplest static single page of plain text to the most complex web-based internet applications, electronic businesses, and social network services using a wide variety of languages and standards, including the familiar HTML, JavaScript and jQuery, ASP and ASP.NET, PHP, ColdFusion, CSS, PHP, Flex and Flash, but also the implementation of a broad list of standards including XML, WSDL, SSDL, VoiceXML and many more.