Delegates versus inner classes

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.

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Fun with WiFi Freeriders

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 them to various unknown destinations instead.

Technorati Tags: Internet, WiFi

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Choosing the Best Tool for the Job

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 perceived appropriateness of it. Of the three main considerations (appropriateness, expertise and enthusiasm), expertise remains essential nonetheless.

I mostly agree with her opinion that the urge to learn a tool often creates enthusiasm and drives productivity upward. However, this holds true only if the users are capable and learn efficiently. If that is not the case, there is a risk that projects get delayed as users struggle with the tool. In most cases, seasoned developers can apply their past experiences to quickly become efficient with new tools. And, driven by enthusiasm, they become highly productive.

Technorati Tags: software, development, project, tool, enthusiasm

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Refactoring by Renaming in Visual Studio .NET 2005

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 drop-down list. The entire sequence does not require any clicks or keyboard shortcuts to access the refactoring menu. I have seen something close in X-Developer, but it was not as refined as this.

I almost regret using Vim for C# development all this time!

Technorati Tags: Refactoring, Renaming, Visual Studio, .NET, C#, Vim

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Parallels on MacBook Pro

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 Studio .NET 2005 on a virtual machine configured with 8 GB disk space and 512 MB RAM, expecting the performance to degrade when the hefty development environment is running. I was pleasantly surprised when I was able to use it without incurring any performance loss.

Technorati Tags: Mac OS X, MacBook Pro, Parallels, Windows XP, Visual Studio .NET

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Windows XP on the MacBook Pro

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, but dropped the idea when I discovered Parallels. I was so impressed that I did not have to wait for the end of the trial period to purchase a licence. Parallels is one of these must-have software for the Mac.

Technorati Tags: MacBook Pro, Mac OS X, Windows XP, Parallels

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How to Parse Dates from Strings

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 {
        String s = "15-05-2005 5:55:55";

        SimpleDateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("dd-MM-yyyy HH:mm:ss");
        Date date = df.parse(s);

        System.out.println(date);
    }
}

This example should help ease the difficulty that all beginners seem to face when dealing with formatting
dates in Java.

Technorati Tags: Java, Programming

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Three Golden Rules to Tackle Complexity

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 the normal business.
• Make sure that people have a good reason to complete the project. This is not the same as motivating them to make the project a success; instead, the objective is to convince them to put the lid on a project when it is time to do so and to prevent feature creep.

Technorati Tags: IT, Complexity

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Successes in UK IT

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 Camelot in revamping its retail infrastructure, which is the result of adopting the right methods to tackle complexity in such large projects.

Technorati Tags: IT, UK

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Robust Java Exception Handling

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 EJB exception handling.

Technorati Tags: Java

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