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A month ago, I've downloaded Netbeans 4.1 provided with the Java runtime.
Since I've developped a lot of Java programs, notably a whole Web application using Struts and more recently, a GUI using java.swing.
Making the comparison with JBorland and Eclipse I've already used, NetBeans is the more superior and efficient development tool.
Not only, I recommand it to the beginners or students but also to the professional programmers for many reasons :

- it's easy to install and to configure (Eclipse is the more trickiest to install because the huge bundle of plugins you have to download);
- its interface is very easy to use (compilation, project building, execution and the debugging tool) whatever the kind of project you are developping;
- its interface for the Web application is provided with functionnalities you don't find neither in JBorland neither in Eclipse (examples : there is a tool that allows you to create the web.xml file even in you have no knowledge of xml syntax, there is another tool to create properties files, also another one to visualize your JSP tags);
- you may connect to whatever database if you have the needed connector and make SQL statements to visualize datas;
- using java.swing with Netbeans is piece of cake comparing to JBorland and Eclipse, the design tool is more easy to use.