Sean Webster

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since Aug 24, 2002
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Recent posts by Sean Webster

Very very good points
I am not sure if I understood this correctly, but didn�t Warren Buffet use the example of the auto industry in the twenties being a terrible financial investment, but that the auto industry created many ancillary industries that were great investments.
I think the mainstream technology centric opportunities are maturing, but new opportunities are spawning in the recovery of what I call the �big factor of 5�:
1 - y2k hangover
2 - Telecom bubble
3 - Dot Com Bubble
4 - Terrorism
5 � Recession
Another wave will come along and the key will be to be lucky enough to be in the right niches to benefit from those opportunities.
What do you folks think?
21 years ago
Wouldn�t a more appropriate industry to compare IT with be the entertainment industry? More specifically TV. From all aspects including hardware of TVs, cable TV, network TV, TV film equipment etc? I don�t know enough about the TV industry, but I just sense that this would be an interesting industry to study for comparison purposes.
Anyone have any thoughts?
21 years ago
I have seen a bunch of Java performance tuning tools and performance booting tools in a few of the Java magazines. They might be worth checking out since performance seems to be an issue for your project.
Also, if you use Java, you are more likely to use proper OO analysis and design which should help with maintenance and extensions.
Just a few thoughts
21 years ago
I have read some doom and gloom threads about Java on these boards. I am investing a significant amount of time and energy into becoming a proficient Java programmer& thus decided to research the topic. It seems to me that you always have to worry about a non-Microsoft preferred technology, but that Java is gaining traction. These are a few of the research notes that I have come across:
* Tactical Guideline: The use of Java technology will continue to be most prevalent within markets that are highly affected by the threat of e-business-based competition.
* Tactical Guideline: The use of Java technology will continue to be most prevalent within markets that are highly affected by the threat of e-business-based competition.
* Strategic Planning Assumption: Through 2005, more than 60 percent of enterprises will budget upper-end departmental, enterprise-, and global-class projects with Java technology (0.7 probability)
Source = Gartner 24 May 2002
CIO Update: Microsoft and Java Technologies Reach Parity for Application Development Use
* Java Has Penetrated as Many Enterprises as Visual Basic
* The Java language has achieved an enormous success among survey respondents: As many enterprises say they use Java as Visual Basic, or VB (see Figure 9).
* The maturity of Java, which has been available longer than .NET, continues to give it a tactical advantage over Microsoft.
* However, Gartner expects that, as .NET matures, Microsoft will challenge Java for market primacy in building enterprise-class applications, and Java will threaten Microsoft�s market share in lower-end AD.
Source = Gartner 12 Sept 2002
The Cost and Risk of Application Development Decisions

Just some information to share with everyone. It seems to me that Java isn�t a clear winner, but it is certainly a solid contender in many development spaces.
21 years ago
great suggestions. What about type of company, a software company, financial services company, non-tech company with in-house programmers for system support?
Any thoughts?
21 years ago
Hello, I am passed the Java certification exam last year & am looking to get some real world programming experience. I am currently working for a mgmt consulting firm, but would like to invest a year or two in learning how to professionally code. What are the best companies to work for in terms of learning how to code professionally? Is it best to work for a large fortune 1000 company, or a small tech shop?
What do you all think? What types of companies produce the best professional programmers?
21 years ago
thanks, and sorry about displaying the actual code.
21 years ago
Howdy y�all,
I have submitted assignment 1b for nitpicking twice already, and I don�t seem to get the whole 80th character issue. I have created a few variables like:
Code removed. Please don't post actual code. Thanks.
Is the 80th character issue as simple as setting my numPerLine variable to 79 or do I need to figure out another solution. If anyone can help me with a good approach, I would be grateful.
I don�t want to keep submitting my assignment without first having a good feeling about it passing.

[ September 19, 2002: Message edited by: Matthew Phillips ]
21 years ago
Hello Mike,
Think of the certification exam as a credential and the cattle drive and experience. I was skeptical at first about the cattle drive, but after simply submitting 1 assignment, the code review is very rigorous. This has forced me to stop, think, think, and think some more about what I need to do and how to elegantly solve the problem in accordance with the style guide. I highly recommend the cattle drive and look forward to learning good habits along the way.
I don�t think the cattle drive will help you much with the exam since the exam is very tricky. Passing the exam is about burying yourself in exam prep material for weeks until you are savvy to the ways of the exam and are able to consistently pass the practice exams.
Good luck!
21 years ago
Short answer = try to maximize the time with the priority on building a track record of accomplishments. If the opportunities are not within your reach, get the degree to avoid floundering for the next 2 years.
In my experience, it is the folks who can execute and make things happen that end up rising throughout any organization.
Yes, a MS is CS will last longer than any certification. Plus, a MS in CS will show up on any descriptor about you.
Yes, companies will enjoy having the pedigree on their staff.
However, they will enjoy having someone who can deliver outstanding solutions on time. In the organizations that I have worked for, these folks often get labels like �Rock Star� or �Post Man� � because they can deliver.
Ideally, you would want the credential + the skills, + the �can do� attitude. I would prioritize these attributes in the following order:
Priority #1 = �can do� attitude
Priority #2 = Skills
Priority #3 = Credentials
In making your decision to go to school for another 2 years, think as if you were the CEO of your own business. What is the best way to invest your time? If your alternatives are to flounder around looking for �not so great jobs� or to build your pedigree and credentials, I would say, get the degree. If you can see ways to really build your skills and experience, I would say go for the experience. Any future descriptor about you will have 90% of it describing your accomplishments, and 5% describing your degrees.
If you want to build up your credentials and pedigree later, you can always publish articles, teach classes, and contribute to philanthropic activities.
From your post, it sounds like you don�t think you will learn all that much from an MS in CS. If this is the case, don�t waste your time; get an MS in something that will build your skills. At the end of the day, you are going to need world class skills to compete and excel in the workplace.
Again, remember to maximize your time & make the best decision under your specific circumstances that you can.
Just a few thoughts�I hope they are helpful
21 years ago
Thanks for the tip with Yahoo. I just adjusted my settings and it fixed my problem.
Thanks again
21 years ago
Can anyone tell me the proper spacing rules.
In the assignment tutorial, I see:
System.out.println( "Spot is now home" );
}
***Notice the space after the println method parentheses and the string
In the style guide, I see:
System.out.println("Oatmeal is good and good for you");
***notice the no spacing between the parentheses and the string. Which is correct, or does it even matter?
This is my understanding of the spacing rule:
1 - all identifiers are surrounded with whitespace unless it reduced clarity
2 -note the exceptions in the style guide (methods, arrays, pre and post increment, and casting)
21 years ago
Hi Folks,
I am just starting my cattle drive and had spent a bit of time trying to format my code according to the style guide. After getting my code, I tried to copy in into my yahoo mail account and Outlook. Both attempts resulted in truncated lines, and goofy indentation.
The tools that I am using are:
IDE = Textpad or Jbuilder
e-mail = Outlook and Yahoo
I thought about sending notepad text file attachments, but the directions said to send the code in the body of the message.
Has anyone experienced similar problems? Does anyone have any good advice for me so I can address these hassles early in my cattle drive experience?
21 years ago
Hi Julian,
Thanks for your perspective. I really appreciate your elaborating on what makes this course better than a book. It has become clear to me that the code reviews and community aspects of this course will make it worthwhile. I just purchased the book �Just Java� $54 OUCH!...and am saving my extra $$$ for the $200 registration fee.
I am excited about this cattle drive and have already started to read the first few chapters in the book. Once I get through with chapter 4, I plan on trying the first assignment 1a and 1b.
Thanks again!
21 years ago
Do you suggest that I read the first few chapters of "Just Java" and do the first few assignments on my own. Or, jump right into the program?
21 years ago