Coming back to my senses...

In case someone happens upon my last post not realizing that it was April Fools Day, I just want to take a quick moment to clear the air...

I think that Java/JVM is one of the most fascinating language / technology of today. There is an incredible amount of innovation happening in the arena, and I don't forsee this changing anytime soon. There has been plenty of other languages out there whose claims of being the "Java Killer", has been proven false over time. I am not knocking those other languages - there are some very attractive features of those languages. I am just acknowledging the fact that after those claims, Java/JVM is still around. Not to mention there are plenty of companies who have an incredibly amount invested in the Java/JVM technology.

For these reasons and more, I think that Java is going to be around for quite a while.

Goodbye Java....

That's right. I am done. Finished. The game is over.

I have finally decided to put my Java "badge of shame" down. I mean, let's face it, Java is not the Mercedes of Programming Languages anymore. There hasn't been a lot of innovation going on in the Java / JVM space for years now. I need to start working in a technology that is more relevant to the needs of my customers of today and tomorrow.

I just can't believe that I have wasted this much time of my career in Java. So to all, wish me luck as I venture on a new path in development, away from Java...

Eclipse Templates: Commons Logging

For mostly my own benefit, but if you gain something out of this...awesome!!!

Here is a template that I use in Eclipse and I always have to recreate the syntax for when at another developer's workstation....

private static final Log logger = LogFactory.getLog(${primary_type_name}.class);
${:import(org.apache.commons.logging.Log,org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory)}

It is official :- I am a MacDaddy

It has been almost three weeks since I purchased my Mac Book Pro, and I LOVE IT!!!!!!

Just for a little more background information on me, I hate spending money on myself.  I think that I may have some kind of complex or something.  Around Christmas time last year, I was debating purchasing a Mac.  I went to the store, played around with one or two, had the concierge service help me out with using it, and lost my nerve and walked out empty handed.  Not this Christmas. I literally got up out of bed and headed straight to the Apple store and purchased my Mac before I lost my nerve.

However, after doing some reflecting, I now realize that I should have been using a Mac all along.  I was getting to the point where I was adding tweaks to my Windows system so that it looked and behaved like a Mac.  For example, I installed the following software on my Windows so that it simulated a more Mac kind of feel.

• RocketDock - Dock bar for Windows
  
• Cygwin - Linux / Shell emulator for Windows
  
• VirtuaWin - Multiple Desktops
• Launchy - Allows for the launching of applications through shortcut keys

Now that I have a Mac, I do not need these applications anymore.  These features come standard.

Although it has not been all roses converting over to a Mac, more on that later, I have to say that I am definitely enjoying my new machine and the features that it has to offer.

Nifty little Java trick...

In Java, there are many times when you have to deal with collections.  The code that is required in order to build a collection can be pretty cumbersome and usually follows the following pattern:

List strList = new ArrayList;
strList.add("1");
strList.add("2");
strList.add("3");

This code above can easily be changed to one line of code as such:

List strList = Arrays.asList("1", "2", "3");

I have found this little trick especially useful when writing unit tests.

If you plan on using this test in production level code, then you should be aware that creating a list in this fashion, does not allow for editing the list later. Instead, you should wrap the newly formed list in a constructor like so:

List strList = new ArrayList(Arrays.asList("1", "2", "3"));

Enjoy...

Grand Rapids BarCamp 2009

Grand Rapids Barcamp 2009 starts tonight!!!

Unfortunately, this is going to be the first BarCamp that I will not be attending.  I was really looking forward to going, but I cannot work it into the schedule.  I hope that everyone has a great time tonight and tomorrow....

Congratulations Google!!!!

Finally after 5 years....Gmail is finally out of Beta......

Now I can finally start using Gmail....hehehehehe

Do you think that people really waited for it to get out of beta before they created a Gmail account?