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Java Programming Notes

     Java is a nice medium between scripting languages (like Perl and Python) and natively-compiled languages like C and C++. While I have a number of issues with the design, it is a decent language choice and has a huge edge over most other languages in portability. If you are writing code and don't know what platform it will be run on, then Java is a good choice.

• Optimization in Java
  This is a set of advice on minimizing process studies in Java.
• POJOs in Java
  Notes on concepts related to POJO ("Plain Old Java Objects") compared to EJBs and other trends in Java design.
• Java Best Practices
  These are various suggestions for Java coding, based on personal experience and company discussion.

Java Resource Links

• Java Glossary
  A handy reference site for Java problem-solving.
• Javaspaces
  Sun's technology for writing and reading Java objects with persistance.
• Java Optimization
  (a good set of notes on optimizing performance)
• Jim Bell's Benchmarking Applet
• Jonathan Hardwick's Java Optimization Page.
• javac -o FAQ
• Giant Java Tree
  A collection of many open-source classes, though poorly organized.
• Performance of Java versus C++

One issue with Java is its "noun" focus on objects, and in particular lack of anonymous functions ("verbs"). Below are some articles on the limitations of this approach.

• "Can Your Programming Language Do This?" by Joel Spolsky
  An article arguing the benefits of anonymous functions that are not present in Java.
• "Member Function Pointers and the Fastest Possible C++ Delegates" by Don Clugston
  Another article on function pointers.
• "Execution in the Kingdom of Nouns" by Steve Yegge
  A blog post going over the issues.