Answer:

Yes—sometimes typing in a program forces you to see details you would otherwise miss. Other times it is a waste of effort. Of course, not running the program at all is a supreme waste of opportunity.

Notes

1. The steps are shown for a computer running Windows 2000. Nearly the same steps can be used for other varieties of Windows. The software used in these notes is the minimum possible requirement. It is available for free on all Windows computers. Even if you have better software it is probably wise to start out using this minimum.

2. If you use a commercial Java programming environment (such as J++ or JBuilder) you can follow these steps by using your environment's editor rather than Notepad. But it may be faster to use Notepad. Most commercial environments assume you are setting up a big project and require many preliminary steps.

3. Rather than use Notepad, you can use Crimson. It is simple and easy to use and free, but it is a big improvement over Notepad. See www.crimsoneditor.com.

4. A small, but free, Java programming environment such as BlueJ may be your best choice. You will have to make some adjustments as you follow these notes, however. See www.bluej.org.

QUESTION 2:

Can Microsoft Word be used as a program editor?