Re: [Swarm-Modelling] Objective C / Java

[Paul Johnson]

I recommend Objective-C.  I like it best.  It is the most dependable 
Swarm implementation.  Swarm models in ObjC are generally easier to 
write and faster.  I don't think it is true that "Java is the future", 
at least for Swarm, because Swarm itself is written in Obj-C and the 
most complete documentation is available for Obj-C.  In order to use 
java Swarm, you still need to understant the Obj-C version, because much 
of the magic of writing Java Swarm is understanding how the Java Native 
Interface communicates with Obj-C Swarm.  So in any case you need to 
begin with Objective-C Swarm, and then if you decide that is what you 
need, you can extend yourself to Java.  I've written a couple of models 
in both, just for the fun of translation. It won't kill you. The biggest 
problem for me was that some of the staples of the Swarm 
experience--ZoomRaster--were not available in the Java edition.  I 
recall we wrote a Raster class using the Java graphics libraries, but 
don't have any recollection of what happened to it.

About 5 years ago it appeared that the entire future of computing was 
going to be gobbled up by Java, but it is much less clear today.  My CS 
department dropped C/C++ in the intro classes and taught only Java about 
5 years ago, and then 2 years ago C/C++ was reintroduced and there's 
less interest in Java.



Ajay S. Behl wrote:
> Dear All:
>
> I am a second year PhD student and have just begun looking at Swarm.  I plan
> to use it for a major chunk of my PhD thesis.  My question is: 
>
> Should I go in for learn Java or move into ObjC?
>
> I have some experience with C but absolutely none with Java.  From what I
> could make out from the various Swarm related stuff was that *Java is the
> future*.  At the same time, much of the work seems to have been done in
> ObjC.
>
> What is your advice?
>
> Thanks a ton!
>
> Best regards,
>
> Ajay
>
>
>
>
>  
>
> Ajay S. Behl
> 253 Classroom-Office Building
> 1994 Buford Avenue
> Dept. of Applied Economics
> University of Minnesota
> Saint Paul, MN 55108
>
>
>
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--
Paul E. Johnson                       email: address@hidden
Dept. of Political Science            http://lark.cc.ku.edu/~pauljohn
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