Differences between JBuilder versions 2

[davedraper]

I have a version of JBuilder 3. Right now I'm not doing anything more than basic applets and applications for my work, nothing fancy or that involved. Is there that much difference in JBuilder versions from v.3 to v.8 or 9 that I need to run out and buy a newer version, for what I need, that is? Is there any greater functionality in the newer IDE's than in v.3 or am I not going to gain that much?

 

[jwenting]

There is far greater functionality, and of course support for newer JVM versions.

Whether that functionality and support is relevant to your work only you can decide.
But if you only ever create simple applets it may well not be.

Why not simply download and try the latest free version, JB2005 Foundation?
Unlike earlier free versions there are no restrictions on commercial use.

 

[timw]

You might consider moving to Eclipse. I've never used JBuilder 3 (only 7 and 10), but I'd like to bet Eclipse is more productive than JB3, and it's free.

The JB Foundations are usually hobbled, eg. only allowing one runtime configuration to be created. Eclipse is the full deal.

Tim

 

[jwenting]

Tried Eclipse, moved back to JBuilder.

Eclipse is nice, but doesn't come close to even JB Foundation in functionality and ease of use.

JB Foundation btw is not "hobbled" in any way. It lacks some parts of the commercial products of course, but it's not functionally limited.

 

[timw]

Surely you would consider only allowing one run configuration as 'hobbled'?

I use both JBuilderX and Eclipse3.0 extensively and the only feature of JBuilder I consider superior is it's support for building GUIs and deployment descriptor generation for multiple EJB server vendors.

I'll admit that at first I had issues with Eclipse's ease-of-use, but realised it was more of a shift of perception which I needed. I was 'thinking in JBuilder' terms. Once I stopped doing this and tried to use Eclipse as an 'Eclipse user', I now prefer it. It probably boils down to personal preference.

 

[jwenting]

I used Eclipse fulltime for 2 years, I'd call that enough time to "get into the right frame of mind".
Something that shouldn't be needed, an editor should be intuitive.
Apparently Eclipse isn't intuitive...

JBuilder for me at least works far better than Eclipse ever did. The only reason I changed to Eclipse in the first place was because my then-employer didn't have the budget to purchase JBuilder and the free versions at the time didn't allow commercial use (they do now).

If you need more than one runtime configuration for a project you're clearly not the target audience for the free version (amateurs, students) you tried.
As you seem to have tried using a version not licensed for it in a commercial environment I don't understand why you complain...

 

[timw]

I'm not complaining. I've got a professional JBuilder X Enterprise licence at work, but I use Foundation at home. I've still got some expectations of use at home, Eclipse meets 95% of them and JB Foundation provides the rest.