Vassili ...
SCJP 5.0, SCWCD 1.4, SCJA 1.0
I totally agree, this is an essential part of becoming an SCWCD which means you can actually apply your knowledge and not just rote-learn the APIs and lifecycles. There's absolutely no point in claiming to have SCWCD skills with a certificate if you can't build a Web application for an employer/client!just code, code, code especially with the subjects with which you have trouble.
That's not quite accurate: it will certainly helps loads and is vital, but if when doing the code you find there's something you really don't understand and your book(s) or resource(s) don't cover it (in a way you understand at least), then it may be sensible to buy further resources. After all, the cost of books is much less than the cost of the exam and you're getting a wealth of knowledge in there. Also, being able to code a Web app doesn't make you proficient at answering exam questions in the style they're set, so that's really a different game (where mock exams are extremely helpful).That will help you more than all the books and mock exams you can buy
Originally posted by Michael Ku:
flybuzz, please read this
http://www.javaranch.com/name.jsp
Although that is true, I think you missed my point. I was saying that coding is completely necessary (i.e. I agreed with you), but you cannot say that another book would definitely not be valuable as you implied. I also raised this point here. Maybe another book wouldn't be useful to you and that is your recommendation which is great, but it may be that the original poster has doubts even after reading HFSJ or wants to learn more in depth, in which case another book (note I didn't specify which one) may be appropriate for them. You'll note I also promoted the efficient use of mock exams and not just books...Well Charles, you do have a vested interest in promoting that opinion on more books. Seems like a conflict in interests...
Yes, but one book doesn't have to be enough. I know people who have purchased a complete beginners book on the subject and worked through it, then moved on to two separate cert books and gained different perspectives from each which was helpful, then moved on to mock exams - all while coding examples to demonstrate all those key points. It took them many months but they came out knowing the instant answers to nearly every question which could possibly be asked. They just felt that, for them, the certification was about truely understanding everything in depth and they (personally) could not get that from just one resource whatever that one single resource might have been.So it was given from the start that a book was used and was valuable.
That will help you more than all the books and mock exams you can buy