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Java puzzles?

 
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I've been working through the Project Euler web site lately as a way to try and keep my mind sharp and improve my problem-solving skills. It's a great site, but it's more directed at math problems and creating efficient algorithms rather than increasing programming knowledge. I was wondering if anybody knew of a similar site specifically for Java programming problems? I've been developing for a couple years now, but I'm looking for something that might expand my current knowledge, or introduce me to functionality that I didn't know was there.
 
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We have a "code club" at my company, which is a weekly meeting of the developers where we solve basic computing problems and talk about different languages. We've started culling problems from The Ruby Quiz. The site's focus is meant as a challenge to Ruby programers, but there's no reason you couldn't use Java instead.
 
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Did some googling and found Codingbat.com which has problems in java and python. Interesting enough
 
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J Miller wrote:I've been working through the Project Euler web site lately as a way to try and keep my mind sharp and improve my problem-solving skills. It's a great site, but it's more directed at math problems and creating efficient algorithms rather than increasing programming knowledge.


:-) Those darn mathematicians.

I was wondering if anybody knew of a similar site specifically for Java programming problems? I've been developing for a couple years now, but I'm looking for something that might expand my current knowledge, or introduce me to functionality that I didn't know was there.


Unfortunately, you're then venturing into the big wide world of problems in general, so I'd stick to something that interests you. Is it games? Or algorithms? Or some application? Or a new collection?

Me: I'm a toolmaker. Hate GUI's; hate "webby" stuff; hate "apps" programming in general. I want to build a better List...or Number...or Comparator that other people can use - and (touch wood) I think I can say I've done it in a few cases.

So, if I was going to start you off down my road, I'd say: try creating a Fraction class (mine took me about a year; but in my defence, it was a BigFraction).
If you like games: what about Mastermind, or Craps - a fun exercise to get right - or (different order) Diplomacy, or (ooof) Bridge? Note that these are all static games because I detest GUIs; I'm sure there are oodles of things like Tetris if you want something visual. If you like algorithms: How about a DirectoryTree class?

And if you like apps? ... Sorry, but that's down to to you. There are simply too many applications that Java can be put to to advise; it's going to come down to something you want to do. Banks are always a favourite starter, and they do have a lot of "meat" to them; but personally, I find ledgers boring after a while.

Hope it helps (but I suspect not ).

Winston
 
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You could always learn Pi.

I built this utility to test your knowledge of Pi last night: http://www.gliesians.com/pi.faces.

The interface is pretty crude cause I did it in about twenty minutes with one eye barely open (I was tired), but I plan on updating it soon.

-- Robert
 
Winston Gutkowski
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Robert Liguori wrote:You could always learn Pi. ...


Certainly another possibility. Once I'd written my BigFraction class, I started looking around for a good test case, and guess what? Good old Pi reared its ugly head...

And as a result I discovered Ramanujan - IMO one of the "forgotten heroes" of Maths - and used his formula to make sure that my class was good to at least 100,000 decimal places. I figured that was probably enough.

And I'd never have got there without Pi...

Winston
 
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Have a look at the books: Java Puzzlers and Effective Java. Especially that second book should be required reading for every Java programmer.
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