SCJD (not beta) with J2SE 1.4

[Max Habibi]

Hi all,
I wanted to address this issue once and for all. Yes, you can(and, IMHO, should) use java 1.4 for the SCJD exam(the current one, not the beta). That includes the full scope of J2SE 1.4, including regex, logging, channels, Exception Chaining, NIO, etc.
All best,
M, author
The Sun Certified Java Developer Exam with J2SE 1.4

[Junilu Lacar]

Originally posted by Max Habibi:
Hi all,
I wanted to address this issue once and for all. Yes, you can(and, IMHO, should) use java 1.4 for the SCJD exam(the current one, not the beta)...
Nice try, Max but I would've thought you'd realized by now that there's no such thing as "once and for all" in these forums. Just look at how many threads we have about record locking.
BTW, the book looks very promising... just got my copy today.

[Thomas Fly]

Just after I went to all the work of pulling out that stuff!!! (I wonder if I should submit both versions?)
Well thanks Max- I just bought your book btw & intend to read thru it before submitting.
Think my GUI will pass that L&F test, or should I get rid of the color?
... I just spent the last 4 days converting back the ol' website back to Linux after a 2 month experiment with Windows XP- uhggg!

[parthiban subramaniam]

hi all,
this is the mail i got from sun for the mail i wrote...
====================================
Hello,
Please see the assessor's response below.

------------- Begin Forwarded Message -------------

It's a good idea to avoid adding any functionality that is not specifically
required in your assignment specification. (Logging, for example, is not
mentioned in any of the versions of the assignment at this time.) You will
not receive extra points for such extra work, but you risk losing points.
For example, if you don't do a good job of commenting your logging code,
you could lose points in the "comments" category.
Generally speaking, if you add features that aren't required in the spec,
you MIGHT lose points and you WON'T gain points.
A
>Monica Green wrote:
>
> > Please see below and advise.
> >
> > ------------- Begin Forwarded Message -------------
>
> > >
> > >------------- Begin Forwarded Message -------------
> > >
> > >X-Unix-From: [e-mail] Fri May 17 12:15:27 2002
> > >From: "parthi" <[e-mail]>
> > >To: <[e-mail]>
> > >Subject: Can we use Java.nio or java.util.logging ? in the scjd assignment
> > >Date: Fri, 17 May 2002 19:16:19 +0100
> > >X-Priority: 3
> > >X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
> > >X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >Hi,
> > >
> > >I'm about to start my scjd the design and development,I need to consider
> > >using a
> > >few packages, which are included in J2SDK1.4
> > >
> > >But the requirement document says
> > >
> > >Quote
> > >"Specifically, you should document clear, simple command lines that allow
> > >your
> > >programs to be run on any Java 2 platform, regardless of the underlying
> > >hardware
> > >and operating system".
> > >
> > >I'm little bit confused
> > >i have read most of the discussion groups and i could not find a definite
> > >answer
> > >.. most have removed there logging in which they have used
> java.util.logging
> > >statements and have submitted them .. purely fearing the worst case
> > >
> > >And I dun want to assume things here ..
> > >
> > >could you please provide us some guidance here, we all would appreciate it
> > >
> > >
> > >Cheers,
> > >parthi
> > >
> > >
> > >------------- End Forwarded Message -------------
> > >
> > >
> > > ___ __ __ __ Monica Green
> > > /',__\/\ \/\ \ /' _ `\ Worldwide Certification
> > > /\__, `\ \ \_\ \/\ \/\ \ Sun Educational Services
> > > \/\____/\ \____/\ \_\ \_\ UBRM05-113
> > > \/___/ \/___/ \/_/\/_/ 500 Eldorado Blvd.
> > > MICROSYSTEMS, INC Broomfield, CO 80021
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >Please visit the Sun Certification website.
> > >
> > >http://suned.sun.com/US/certification
> > >Content-Type: TEXT/html; name=NoName; charset=us-ascii
> > >Content-Description: NoName
> > >Content-MD5: D1G0sKfXd2BerR/V1HlCmw==
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >Hi,
> > >
> > >I'm about to start my scjd the design and development,I need to consider
> > >using a few packages, which are included in J2SDK1.4
> > >
> > >But the requirement document says
> > >Quote
> > >"Specifically, you should document clear, simple command lines that allow
> > >your programs to be run on any Java 2 platform, regardless of the
> > >underlying hardware and operating system".
> > >
> > >I'm little bit confused
> > >i have read most of the discussion groups and i could not find a definite
> > >answer .. most have removed there logging in which they have used
> > >java.util.logging
> > >statements and have submitted them .. purely fearing the worst case
> > >
> > >And I dun want to assume things here ..
> > >
> > >could you please provide us some guidance here, we all would appreciate it
> > >
> > >
> > >Cheers,
> > >parthi
====================================
i wont risk using those packages
cheers,
parthi.

[Max Habibi]

Originally posted by Junilu Lacar:
Originally posted by Max Habibi:
<snip>
Nice try, Max but I would've thought you'd realized by now that there's no such thing as "once and for all" in these forums. Just look at how many threads we have about record locking.

That's probably true

BTW, the book looks very promising... just got my copy today.

I hope you find it useful: Please let me know if you have any questions.
All best,
M, author
The Sun Certified Java Developer Exam with J2SE 1.4

[Max Habibi]

Originally posted by Thomas Fly:
Just after I went to all the work of pulling out that stuff!!! (I wonder if I should submit both versions?)
Well thanks Max- I just bought your book btw & intend to read thru it before submitting.
Think my GUI will pass that L&F test, or should I get rid of the color?
... I just spent the last 4 days converting back the ol' website back to Linux after a 2 month experiment with Windows XP- uhggg!

Hey thomas,
I think it looks great. Nicely done.
M, author
The Sun Certified Java Developer Exam with J2SE 1.4

[Max Habibi]

Hi Parthi,
Logging to a file is probably overkill(IMO), but logging, in general, is a reasonable idea. This limited logging is our suggestion in the book.
There are a lot of implicit problems in the exam that are elegantly solved by some sort of logging. For example, what do you untimely do with non terminal Exceptions? Using System.out.println is one way, logging is another. The same is true with Regex, channels, Exception chaining, etc.
You can obviously pass the current SCJD without using the new features of J2SE 1.4, but it is, IMO, a bit roundabout to use J2SE 1.4 and not take advantage of it's features. For example, just consider what Regex can do you.
But ultimately, I think you�ve approached the problem in the right way: that is, you�ve carefully considered the issue, done some research, and derived a solution that you�re comfortable with.
I think that�s the approach that everyone should take for himself or herself.

All best,
M, author
The Sun Certified Java Developer Exam with J2SE 1.4

[Michael Morris]

Originally posted by Max Habibi:
Logging to a file is probably overkill(IMO), but logging, in general, is a reasonable idea. This limited logging is our suggestion in the book.

I totally agree with that. On my server all normal events (clients connecting, etc.) and exceptions were logged to a large text area. I have never liked logging to stdout or stderr even back in the days when that was your only choice.

Michael Morris

[Max Habibi]

Again, something that could be handled elegantly, and in a low risk way, by using the logging facility.
HTH,
M, author
The Sun Certified Java Developer Exam with J2SE 1.4
[ September 25, 2002: Message edited by: Max Habibi ]

[Padmaja Prasad]

Hi,
I downloaded my assignment in July. When asked whether I could use J2SE1.4, I got a reply from SUN (on Aug 22nd) that I should use J2SE1.3. They suggested me to take the upgrade exam when it become available. I'm goin to ask them once again.
Max, Thanks for the info.
Padmaja

[Max Habibi]

Hi Padmaja,
you should use whatever you're comfortable with. However, I will say, for the record, that I passed mine using jdk 1.4.
All best,
M, author
The Sun Certified Java Developer Exam with J2SE 1.4

[Thomas Fly]

A couple of the obvious places to use 1.4 are regular expressions (vs. StringTokenizer) for searching & XML for configuration settings, both of which issues must be addressed in any design.
It appears to me that Parthiban's message from Sun indicates that you shouldn't implement features not mentioned in the requirements JUST BECAUSE 1.4 makes it relatively easy to do so (or perhaps ANY features with either 1.3 or 1.4- such as table sorting- just because it's not difficult).
I expect I'll leave my 1.4 code commented-out with a remark to the effect that "this is the way I'd rather do this." And even tho the app runs under either, I'll probably suggest that it be run under 1.4 (the mouse wheel works for scrolling in 1.4, for example).

[Max Habibi]

Hi Thomas,
I think you're making a reasonable choice. However, I do know for a fact that Sun is grading and passing SCJD exams that use J2SE 1.4. I'm sure that P's message was relevent at the time, but I don't believe it still is.
Sun's in abiding by thier commitment to support any production version of Java for the SCJD, as they should.
All best,
M, author
The Sun Certified Java Developer Exam with J2SE 1.4

[Mark Spritzler]

Hey Max. I was able to finish reading your book, and I am using for the Beta exam and finding it very helpful.
However, I still would highly suggest not using 1.4 for the current exam. And many discussions in your book on the areas of 1.4 like IO Channels are overkill for the current assignment, and can lead to losing some points in not using them correctly.
Mark

[Max Habibi]

Hi Mark,
Glad you're finding the book useful. But I have to disagree with you on using J2SE 1.4 on the current exam, due to my own experience, and the fact that test criteria state that any production version of Java is valid.
For verification, I waited and submitted my own assignment with 1.4. My experience was that development was faster, and turnaround better, then using <= 1.3.
I particularly found that regex, Thread.holdsLock, logging, exception chaining helped me solve a lot of problems cleanly: of course, YMMV, but I liked using the new tools.
I do agree with you that the book fits in nicely with the new test, and that was sort of the point: We wanted to provide a resource that would continue to be useful as the tests progressed, as well as providing a useful J2SE 1.4 reference. Hopefully, the book meets those goals.
Regarding the beta: are you using Scatterers and Gatherers for your database code?
All best,
M, author
The Sun Certified Java Developer Exam with J2SE 1.4
[ September 25, 2002: Message edited by: Max Habibi ]