Nigel Shrin wrote:when synchronizing a block only, I am correct in saying you can use it with or without brackets() - what goes in the brackets? ...
This is a bit off-topic but I thought I should mention this because we all come from different regions of the English-speaking world that use words differently. In the United States, these are the usual specific names for the various common kinds of brackets:
( ) = parentheses, parens,
[ ] = square brackets, box brackets
{ }= braces, curly brackets
<>= angle brackets
Since
Java is so strict about syntax, we need to be strict with our terms when speaking with fellow programmers.