Here is advice on getting a java compiler etc, to use with Japa, or from the command line. I don't believe that you need to buy a large new computer to learn Java, so I discuss alternatives for those with an old PC (e.g win 95), or without an Internet connection The following assumes that you have a version of Microsoft Windows. There are 3 choices:

• Go to the sun site at

  java.sun.com

  for the latest version on their download page. Look for the J2SE - you need the SDK (Software development kit) for Windows. It is around 37 meg so you need a DSL/Cable connection! When the download is complete, run the big exe file. Java will be installed. The sugested defaults will normally be fine.

• If you only have a phone web connection, download an early version of Java from here. Version 1.1.7 is fine for learning Java, but does not have the Swing GUI libraries. This is an 8 meg download, or around 25 mins over the phone. It will run on Win 95, with (I recall) 16 meg of memory. When the download is complete, run the big exe file. Java will be installed. The sugested defaults will normally be fine.

• If you don't have an Internet connection, but you can use ones that have( such as your college, or a community computer in a library), you can download the JDK onto 6 floppies, reconstitute them at home, then install Java. Here is how.