I know you are just starting out so you have to start somewhere. I'll recommend you stick with Java and add PHP or any of the other "sexy" web-dev technologies to your skill set.
In general knowing more than one platform serves you much better than becoming stuck with one of these web-dev frameworks that may not be around in a few years.
Java is MASSIVE, if you ever want to be a serious technologist in a big corporation, Java is a requirement, and don't let anyone tell you that is going to change anytime soon.
Java is a very mature and versatile platform with a host of advanced technologies built on top of it (check out apache.org). There is a reason the likes of Google build their platform on top of Java not Ruby/PHP/Python or any of the other more talked about platforms.
If nothing else Java can be a good way to get some problem solving exercise. Unlike some of the other web-dev frame works that abstract a lot of stuff from the developer, in Java you'll have to deal with more low level concerns which can be good for your own training as a developer.
PS: I am the founder/developer of a Javascript APP platform that you as a student may find interesting: www.appynote.com. It is built on top of Java:)
I currently use PHP and ZendFramework at a startup that I'm working at right now. However, I definitely think the workflow could use some work and that combined with my aspirations to be a well rounded web developer has led me towards other web frameworks.
I currently love the startup atmosphere and don't plan to ever work for a large corporation. Do you think that there is any place for Play Framework in the startup scene?
For example if myself and a couple excellent Java programmers from my school tried to apply to an incubator, would we be taken seriously or written off immediately just because we picked Java for our language of choice?
Kudos for not wanting to work for a big corp, though sometimes they choice isn't yours. Your current startup might get acquired by IBM then you become an IBMer:)
I would like to think incubators care more about what you are doing than your platform of choice. At worse they may recommend you switch to some other platform, but no, I don't think any incubator worth being a part of would look down on you just because of your choice of platform.
If Java is the best platform for a product then by all means that's the choice you should make. For instance if you want to build a product that may need to be integrated with other products then that would need to be factored into your platform of choice.
Comments
I know you are just starting out so you have to start somewhere. I'll recommend you stick with Java and add PHP or any of the other "sexy" web-dev technologies to your skill set.
In general knowing more than one platform serves you much better than becoming stuck with one of these web-dev frameworks that may not be around in a few years.
Java is MASSIVE, if you ever want to be a serious technologist in a big corporation, Java is a requirement, and don't let anyone tell you that is going to change anytime soon.
Java is a very mature and versatile platform with a host of advanced technologies built on top of it (check out apache.org). There is a reason the likes of Google build their platform on top of Java not Ruby/PHP/Python or any of the other more talked about platforms.
If nothing else Java can be a good way to get some problem solving exercise. Unlike some of the other web-dev frame works that abstract a lot of stuff from the developer, in Java you'll have to deal with more low level concerns which can be good for your own training as a developer.
PS: I am the founder/developer of a Javascript APP platform that you as a student may find interesting: www.appynote.com. It is built on top of Java:)
I currently use PHP and ZendFramework at a startup that I'm working at right now. However, I definitely think the workflow could use some work and that combined with my aspirations to be a well rounded web developer has led me towards other web frameworks.
I currently love the startup atmosphere and don't plan to ever work for a large corporation. Do you think that there is any place for Play Framework in the startup scene?
For example if myself and a couple excellent Java programmers from my school tried to apply to an incubator, would we be taken seriously or written off immediately just because we picked Java for our language of choice?
Kudos for not wanting to work for a big corp, though sometimes they choice isn't yours. Your current startup might get acquired by IBM then you become an IBMer:)
I would like to think incubators care more about what you are doing than your platform of choice. At worse they may recommend you switch to some other platform, but no, I don't think any incubator worth being a part of would look down on you just because of your choice of platform.
If Java is the best platform for a product then by all means that's the choice you should make. For instance if you want to build a product that may need to be integrated with other products then that would need to be factored into your platform of choice.
Java or Javascript?
Java under the hood...Javascript in the browser...The APPs built on top of it are entirely browser based, but server-side is all Java.