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Notes for students taking Java

19th November 2008

Every year I get approached by students who find my website and hope I will help them complete their projects.

Here's what I can do for you:

  • Review the code you've written
  • Help you clean up your code
  • Point out the bugs and unintended consequences of your code.
  • Give you a day or two intensive training in Java

Here's what I will not do for you

  • Write code for you. Most students approaching me find a variety of ways to ask me to write their code. I've heard all the variations and sorry, it's never going to happen.

You are two days away from a deadline and need help

  • It's natural to panic at the approach of a deadline, however it doesn't help so calm down and read the rest of your options
  • If you've realised that you don't actually know have to write Java, then here are the options
    • Ask for an extension on your project submission
    • Buy a good Java book and really learn it
  • If you know how to write Java but you've left it a bit late to actually put together a working program
    • Write a code skeleton (classes with empty methods)
    • Write up a UML diagram of how you would make it work
    • If you have time, flesh out the code skeleton with some basic implementation