I did some java programming on a mac at uni, it pissed me off muchly. That being said, it shouldn't be a showstopper.
I started learning using: ISBN-10: 0201711079 / Understanding Java / Barry Cornelius
I'm mostly writing Windows Services these days using Visual Studio in C# and that's what I find most enjoyable compared to all the other crap languages i've tried. VB can suck my fat one.
Back to the matter at hand. If you don't like Xcode, don't use it. You should be able to get by just fine without it.
Just Googled Xcode, looks like a total bag of shit. Defo work around it.