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* Upgrading to Eclipse is kind of like hiring a white-collared

* worker. JCreator is blue-collared so it just does exactly as

* I tell it to, but is not skilled enough to tell me what my

* bugs are, but for Eclipse, even before I run my code it says

* "No, you idiot, your code's not gonna work like that. Do this."

*/

That is the reflection Tanya wrote on her recent comp lab.  Tanya's computer science teacher do not allow students to use the more advanced IDE Eclipse for Java programming until the second semester or after they are done with Java basics, which makes sense:  a student programmer needs to experience some pains in getting to know how a compiler thinks and what is the computer logic, with its rigid wisdom/stupidity.  Instead of Eclipse, he recommeneded the basic tool JCreator.

JCreator does a decent job, a good tool for beginners.  But it is not free, and after the trial period is over, it refused to work so Tanya had to purchase a license online for $35.  But after the license key was emailed back, there was no way to enter the key to re-activate the software.  After numerous trials to no avail when the lab deadline was approaching, Tanya had to shift to the free Eclipse.  

"Dad, you know how spoiled we are, with Eclipse?   My fellow students spent at least 3 hours in JCreator to do this lab, and I did it within half an hour.  Eclipse is just too smart.  And it is free!  Who said there is no free lunch except for Google?  This is not just a free lunch, it is a free banquet."

"Do you know that Eclipse is a miracle of community wisdom?  It is a gift second to none, created by open source community.  It is as free and precious as air and water."

"Long live Eclipse.  Long live open source.  I wish I could contribute to open source some day too."

"Are you going back to JCreator?"

"No way.  I like to be fooled by Eclipse.  I am done with basics, and I have the teacher's permission to use Eclipse, just like all professionals do. "

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