Comment Try this.... (Score 2, Interesting) 679
Instead of learning an IDE how about focusing on what the language offers and how to best use it and the APIs that support what you do? Instead of spending money on the same IDE for everyone how about having the Java developers work on the Sun Java Programmers Certification together and let the company pay for that? Meet one day a week at lunch and discuss a chapter from a certification guide. If that's too basic how about springing for a copy of Design Patterns for everyone and go through it a pattern a week over lunch? Everybody down with patterns, then think about something similar with Martin Fowler's Refactoring or whatever strikes the group's fancy. Learn javadoc and how to exploit it effectively. Do code reviews and pair programming. Think about what you do and how you do it rather than ask "Gee, what tool can I go buy to do my work for me."
In short figure out the actual tool (the Java language) and the ways to use it effectively rather (patterns and best practices) rather than waste the time and money learning to use a tool which may do "something" for you but ultimately rests between you and the tool you are working with, Java. Besides, you've got at least person that department that is using either vim or emacs and there's gonna be a fight when you come for their editor.
In short figure out the actual tool (the Java language) and the ways to use it effectively rather (patterns and best practices) rather than waste the time and money learning to use a tool which may do "something" for you but ultimately rests between you and the tool you are working with, Java. Besides, you've got at least person that department that is using either vim or emacs and there's gonna be a fight when you come for their editor.
