Is it worth to start learning Java

Question

Today I saw a post in JavaRanch (http://saloon.javaranch.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=33&t=017317). A guy asked a question for his friend about STARTING to learn Java NOW. Actually, I heard quite same question from people around myself.
For myself, I've been working on Java more than 7 years(already SCEA, hehe). However, the Java passion is getting away ;-((, I am looking around for other stuff like Ruby.
I have same confusion as that guy, and I'd like to learn from you guys for same question - for the current market situation, it is late/okay to touch Java?

Answer 1

thank for all the input.
my concerns are, particularly for newcomer, the
learning curve and the market trend.
my understanding is Java is losing its powder in web
application development comparing with other emerging
language like Ruby/Python, conversely, Java's powser
is going to server side(business/integration layer).Don't be so sure about that.
Java's not losing powder [sic] in web app development. It's mature and considered a standard for enterprise scale problems. Ruby and Python are gaining traction for smaller CRUD-like Web apps, but neither is up to snuff in the areas of security and transactions. Ruby is gaining popularity because of Rails, which makes creating simpler web apps easy.
Criticism of Java for complexity and a dearth of tools is fair. But are Trails, Grail, and AppFuse strong enough answers to Rails such that Java EE can be more agile for smaller apps? Time will tell. I think Spring and Hibernate are helping a great deal, more than EJB 3.0 will.
everybody knows it is hard thing to learn java,It's hard to learn anything, period. Programming in any language is a long learning curve, because it's so much more than just language syntax. You don't do enterprise apps just by learning Java, even if you stick to the EE platform. You have to know SQL and relational databases, messaging, XML, HTML, JavaScript, HTTP...the list is pretty long. All those technologies carry over to .NET and Ruby and anything else, so it's not just Java that's complex. Enterprise problems are complex.
And once you know all that, there's the problem of designing elegantly. It's a long climb no matter which language is on top.
regarding to server side programming for a java
newbie, it would be much harder to learn, further, it
will take you long long time to learn server side
java programming.
however, the job market (java) is still hot, and
seems to keep hot. and people still wanna jump in.It's still good, just not crazy like it was at the end of the 90's. There is the problem of competition from China, India, Vietnam, etc. that won't go away. But what field hasn't been affected by global competition? Only those areas where you have to touch the client, like auto mechanics. Even medicine has been affected - x-rays can be read anywhere in the world.
So, still confused to tell people whether or not to START java...;-((If you like programming, jump in. Learn Java, but it's more important to learn those bedrock technologies (e.g., data structures, compilers, parsers, finite automata, decomposition, relational databases, etc.) and learn how to learn. Languages will come and go. When I jumped into this field ten years ago C++ and Corba were the rage and Java didn't exist. Now I make a living writing Java. I'm reading about Ruby and Rails now, just dipping my toes into the water.
None of us are any better prophets than you are. I don't know what will happen or if Java will still be here ten years from now. COBOL and FORTRAN were born in the 50s, and both are very much with us today.
Just stop whining about it. Do what makes you happy, and stop worrying about what other people think.
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