Category Archives: Java/Java EE

OCA/OCP 8 Programmer Practice Tests AVAILABLE NOW!

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Jeanne and I are really excited to announce that our new book OCA / OCP Practice Tests: Exam 1Z0-808 and Exam 1Z0-809 is now shipping. In fact, we just received our copies today! The book is available in both print and digital formats from Amazon and other major book retailers. In addition, purchasing this book grants the holder access to Sybex’s interactive test bank!

This book serves as worthwhile companion to our previous two books, now available as set, The OCA / OCP Certification Kit. With this book you are really getting two books in one, as Jeanne and I packed over 1000+ questions into this text, covering both the OCA and OCP exams. To better prepare you for test day, we also threw in two simulated OCA/OCP exams. Whether your taking the OCA exam now and thinking about the OCP exam down the road, or taking the OCP exam and need a refresher on the cumulative material, this book has got you covered!

This book covers 100% of all exam objectives in these practice tests, which means you’ll be ready for:

  • Java basics, class design, and data types
  • Using decision and loop constructs
  • Building and using arrays
  • Methods, encapsulation, and inheritance
  • Mastering Java Streams
  • Working with the Date/Time API and Localization
  • Understanding design patterns and principles
  • Writing Lambda expressions and functional interfaces
  • Exceptions and assertions
  • Java File I/O (NIO.2)
  • Concurrency and localization
  • JDBC and database applications

Jeanne and I put a lot of time, energy, and planning into this new book and we really hope our reader enjoy it!

my second 3D print

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After completing my test run, I didn’t have a lot of time so I wanted to start with something simple. Preferably one I could use as gift on an upcoming vacation.

I had taken a class a year or two on the basics of 3D printing which used TinkerCAD. I like that it is free and easy to use. I’ve forgotten most of what I’ve learned so will get to relearn when I have more time. I did remember enough to assemble two simple objects together. It seemed good enough for a first print. Here’s the design:

TinkerCAD lets you download a .stl file so I was all set to print. Actually printing it, I learned a few things about the software:

  • There’s a size option when printing. I thought it was inches. It’s not. It’s scale. I printed a bit bigger than I wanted, but that’s ok.
  • The abort button doesn’t work. Nor does the emergency stop. What does work is killing the power or unplugging the printer.
  • Closing the software doesn’t work on Mac. Force quit does. I’m not sure if this is a problem with the software or with Mono.
  • The status screen doesn’t let you command tab to it. Instead you have to do the show all windows thing to get to it.

It took a few hours to print (this printer is small so therefore less speedy than some others). It was tricky to get off the bottom of the printer bed. Online suggested a scraping tool. I couldn’t get it with a putty knife. What worked was a nail file.

And the result:

dealing with three hours of jet lag

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Some time ago, I shared my technique for dealing with jet lag between New York and California/Vegas (three hours). This strategy doesn’t work as well for more disparate time zones. The strategy actually changes depending on whether it is a work trip or vacation. Anyway rather than reply in a private email, putting it on the blog.

New York to the West Coast – work trip

I like to fly early in the day where possible so I have more time to enjoy being in the destination city. On a six hour flight, you spend a full day traveling, but can take a nap on the plane. I try to take an hour nap so I can stay up later. I don’t always get the nap in, but I do stay up.

When I arrive, I try to keep busy whether it is walking around or seeing stuff or even working. I make sure to eat extra. I make sure to have a light mean/snack late in the day. Even if my flight arrives late, I eat something when I arrive. I also ensure that I don’t go to sleep before 10pm; ideally closer to 11pm.

Ten pm doesn’t sound late. But your body thinks it is 1am. And has spent the day traveling. (and in my case got up early to get to the plane). The key to forcing the staying up is to “reset” so you wake up at a normal time in the local Pacific time zone. Knowing I’m going to get up at 7 or 8am for work means 10-11pm is a good time to fall asleep. In ensures I won’t be up at 4am! The light snack serves the same purpose. Without it, I wake up in the middle of the night because my stomach thinks “Breakfast!”. I try to tell it to go back to sleep and it keeps telling me “No; Breakfast!”. My eating the snack, my stomach doesn’t wake me up.

Getting up at a good time locally means my body is in sync for meals local time. And that I won’t be tired to go out after work with people.

Flying home to New York – work trip

I’m able to sleep on the plane so I take the red eye home. This also lets me do something in the destination city before flying home. I get 5 hours of sleep on the plane. This is enough so I sleep another 2-3 hours when I get home. If it is a work day, I can still work the afternoon. I don’t feel the same way as if I slept in my bed. But it’s enough for one day. That night, I make sure to go to sleep a little earlier to catch up.

New York to the West Coast – vacation

For vacation, I always fly early in the day and arrive around lunchtime. Same thing; I make sure to either eat a lot (like a buffet) or use the above technique about a snack.  Just like work, I make sure not to go to sleep too early. Then the next day, I sleep until 7:30/8:00 am. It’s a little harder when visiting family because someone who lives in California isn’t going to want to be up at 7:30. I make sure to keep my iPad within reach of where I am sleeping so I can always read. (not a book because the light isn’t good enough to read.) This works well.

Flying home to New York – vacation

This is the exact same technique as for work. Red eye plus nap. It’s harder from Vegas because the flight is an hour shorter. Still worked though. And for vacation, I can plan to have the day off. Sometimes I work half a day anyway because i don’t want to use as much vacation though.