I wouldn't say Java is exactly easy. If it's not your first language, it probably won't be that difficult to pick up, but if it is, it's going to take a while to get familiar with all the api's. And if you're not familiar with programming, it's going to take you a little while to pick up control structures, and data structures etc. I took a course on Java, and then spent about 4 months preparing for Sun's Programmer Certification exam. I learned C next, and that didn't take long at all. I'd say learn Java first, but don't expect a cake walk. It'll be fun, but it'll take time too.