Java and friends

Delegates versus inner classes

Eddy — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 19:35:35 +0000

This whitepaper compares the use of delegates versus inner classes, and outlines the reasons why delegates are not implemented in the Java language. Interestingly, the decision was largely influenced by Delphi Object Pascal.

Fun with WiFi Freeriders

Eddy — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 09:52:14 +0000

Want to get rid of your free-rider neighbours abusing your WiFi network? Then, this tutorial is for you! It provides a step-by-step guide to protect your WiFi network from free-riders. The technique used is the same as that adopted by WiFi service providers to redirect users to a payment page, except that you will be taking [...]

Choosing the Best Tool for the Job

Eddy — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 09:41:24 +0000

Kathy Sierra wrote an interesting entry on her Creating Passionate Users blog about how the “right tool” is not always the “best tool” for the job. According to her, one factor that is not to be neglected is the level of enthusiasm for using the tool, which can sometimes be even more important than the [...]

Refactoring by Renaming in Visual Studio .NET 2005

Eddy — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 14:26:40 +0000

Refactoring by renaming is very straightforward in Visual Studio .NET 2005. Here is how it is done. You simply overwrite the identifier you wish to rename. The editor will display a symbol underneath it to signal that a refactoring operation is available, at which point you press Alt-Shift-F10 and select the correct operation from a [...]

Parallels on MacBook Pro

Eddy — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 20:40:58 +0000

I am very pleased with my decision to run Windows XP in Parallels instead of using a different partition for BootCamp. Not only have I avoided the hassle of having to reboot each time I need to switch between Mac OS X and Windows XP, I also get near-native performance in Windows XP. I installed Visual [...]

Windows XP on the MacBook Pro

Eddy — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 22:06:07 +0000

I am running Windows XP within a Parallels on my MacBook Pro. All my software work flawlessly and as fast as on a native installation, which I can only attribute to the excellent virtualisation technology in the Core Duo processor. I considered installing Windows XP on a separate partition and using BootCamp to boot into it, [...]

How to Parse Dates from Strings

Eddy — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 08:44:07 +0000

This example shows how to parse dates from strings using the SimpleDateFormat class. The pattern is specified in the constructor, but could also be done with the applyPattern(String pattern) method. import java.util.Date; import java.text.ParseException; import java.text.SimpleDateFormat; public class TestDate { public static void main(String[] args) throws ParseException { [...]

Three Golden Rules to Tackle Complexity

Eddy — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 10:27:07 +0000

According to Tim Newing, the IT Director of Camelot, there are three golden rules for tackling complexity in IT projects. Do not think of a complex project, but think of a collection of simple solutions. Manage outside the “business as usual”; instead, set up a different business structure so that the project team is not distracted by [...]

Successes in UK IT

Eddy — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 10:15:56 +0000

The IT industry in the UK has had a couple of much-needed success stories recently. This is a breath of fresh air amidst daily reports of major IT projects failing. The first success is the completed modernisation of the British Transport Police IT systems. The second is the positive progress made by the IT department of [...]

Robust Java Exception Handling

Eddy — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 12:03:38 +0000

Hoa Dang Nguyen and Magnar Sveen published a very interesting paper on building robust Java applications by correctly applying exception handling. They explain how exceptions work in Java, when and how to use them, and provide sample source code to demonstrate their recommendations. In the past, I have written about exception handling best practice and [...]