Choosing a font

Go to Window --> Preferences... --> General --> Appearance --> Colors and Fonts --> Java --> Java Editor Text Font and click Change....

Here's what you want in a font:

• It should be easily readable in small sizes (so you can get a lot on the screen),
• It should be very easy to distinguish certain easily confused characters: 0 and O (zero and capital o); I and 1 and l and | (capital i, one, lowercase L, and vertical bar); : and ; (colon and semicolon); , and . (comma and period); ( and { and [ and ) and } and ] (parentheses, braces, and brackets). It isn't enough to be able to distinguish them--they have to be different enough so that you notice when you have the wrong one.
• For programming, a monospace font (in which all the letters are the same width) is generally preferred.

Courier or Courier New is generally OK. In Moore 207, I like bitstream vera sans mono at 10 point.

Typing support

Go to Window --> Preferences... --> Java --> Editor --> Typing and check everything. Then try some editing and see if you like the way it behaves. Give it a chance--don't reject it immediately just because it's different.

Hint: Some things, like putting open braces at the end of a line, can be undone by hitting the backspace key.

Automatic file saves

When I run a program, I don't like always having to say yes, save the files first. To avoid this dialog box, go to Window --> Preferences... --> Run/Debug --> Launching and under Save required dirty editors before launching, choose Always. Under General Options, check Build (if required) before launching.