Previously on CS399J...

This was a good class with a bunch a good students. We all seemed to learn a lot. Let's see what they thought.

1. What do you wish you had known before taking this course?
• The GUI programming was pretty time intensive for me as I hadn't done much of it before.
• This is one of my favorite class. I don't think that I regret taking it whatsoever.
• That my compilers II class isn't offered again till January.
• I don't think there was anything specifically. Possibly better object oriented programming skills.
• OOP in Java is easy and fun. OOP is C++ is torture.
• I wish I had know better OOP and GUI before taking the class.
• A little of a lot of things, some more low level and manly has to organize and "think like an object".
• More about Java GUI programming, maybe more about low level data streucturs, certainly more about Streams.
• That is would not be "advanced Java progamming". Instead it would be "Java language overview".
• Java I/O!
• XML, Thread
• XML. Also, that the emacs on Solaris is crap. Build your own at home.
• Preview for the lecture note
• This was my re-introduction to Java after approximately 10 years, so my greatest wish is that I had more familiarity with the Java classes/method available. None the less, it was a great journey!
• Refreshed my Java Basics and object oriented programming.
• Pour over all of the online examples as soon as possible. Don't worry about the book.
• How to use Eclipse. It does everything for you.
• Background knowledge of GUIs, XML, Java -- so that taking the class would give me a more solid understanding instead of learning everything (or most things) for the first time.
• I felt well prepared in terms of concepts.
• More about Swing. I have used it in the past, but never liked it. Knowing more about it would have made the last assignment much easier.
• That I was going to get married.
• Test the code like crazy before turning the programming assignment in.
• I wish I knew something about XML and "factories".
• I wish I knew casting, generics and collection classes a little better. And more about threads.
• More about object oriented programming design patterns, particularly MVC GUI patterns.
• I wish I'd known about Ant, would have been very useful to know about it before the middle of the term. Could've used it for compilers, too.
• How to use Eclipse.
• I think as an undergrad I had enough info regarding the subject. However, I think I was kind of confused in some topics due to lack of experience.
• I woudl have benefitted more from the fast-paced lectures if I had already had the material before -- "catch-22"
• More API
• XML, Client-Server, Object Oriented, Java API
• A little bit more prior experience with basic Java would have made the class a little easier, but it was still OK.
• I wish I had known to bring my own chair. The chairs in this room are very uncomfortable.
• It would have been convenient for me to have been facile from the start with a decent programmer's editor. I settled on "ultra edit" and learned it for the AWT project.
• I would have liked to be a little more polished on OOP use. I have used it in the past but had been working mostly in procedural code. I wasn't lost by any means, but it would have been good to have some recent OOP experience.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned in CS399J?
• That unit testing should be as important as progmaming - I intend to write JUnit test for all code I write in future.
• How good and powerful is Java and how many tools it has
• GUIs
• I've definitely improved my OO programming skills, which is important to me. Leanring about DTDs, Swing/AWT was also really important.
• How cool Java is an I've developed a better understanding of OOP.
• I learned a lot of things but the most important is OOP.
• GUIs aren't that hard. But they take longer than you think.
• The meaning of Christmas! Er...I mean a good foundation of Java knowledge, but the class helped me connect the dots in my self learned information.
• GUI programming was new to me, the last project represented a valuable experience.
• I have never used a language that was OO from the ground up, so the most important thing I have learned is the OO mindset - everything is an object, which leads to interesting language design considerations as well as progrmaming practives and the head space.
• Knowing what features the Java has and where to find them.
• Never leave exceptions unchecked! Also, Voltron and Transformer references are still cool.
• Swing, networking, threads
• Spending a lot of time in doing programming
• The most important thing I've learnved is how to implement interfaces and extend classes. I've also discovered how useful Javados are and how easy they make finding methods to get the job done.
• Object oriented programming - the Java way.
• Use and exploration of various Java APIs, power of collection classes, Swing.
• That I didn't know as much about Java as I though I did before taking the class.
• The relationship between Java and GUIs. GUIs just make creating a program more interesting.
• Object oriented architectures. How to sidtribute responsibilities among classes when designing classes. Java API, how to make use of the build in class libraries.
• Concurrent programming. This was something that I learned on my own, and had always questioned the "best practices" for it.
• Swing, because if I am going to design a face card solitair game in the future I would probably want to do it in a platform independent GUI.
• GUI programming. It was fun too.
• I learned how to read the Javadocs provided by Sun's website.
• The way that objects cna be nested and scopes used with in Java, especially within GUI stuff and things with factory classes. I learned how to be a much better programmer of Java.
• The value of unit testing for constructive purposes, i.e. not just for insuring code quality after development, but to more quickly and easily develop code. A really close second would be the other methodological (rather than substantive) aspects of the course, like use of Ant, extreme programming and good object-oriented design (learned through osmosis by studying the source files for Java classes).
• GUI programming. Had not ever really done any GUI programming before this class and was really glad to get some exposure to doing some before I graduated.
• A better understanding of XML which, like Java, is platform independent.
• First of all a very abstract, but very useful and valuable knowledge of Java. It was a very good experience of developing a program in Java too.
• No one thing -- Java and tools are very impressive.
• API, API, API!!!
• XML parser, this project is the hardest one. I had a lot of trouble with getting the data fomr the file, but I learned a lot.
• A deeper understanding of object-oriented programming and rudimentary understanding of design patterns (which rock, by the way). I've used some of what I've learned at work already, even though it's not at all a Java shop.
• When programming in Java, keeping the API documentation open is essential.
• Knowing what "object oriented" programming means and how to do it.
• I feel the most important thing I learned was a solid foundation in Java. I am able to apply the knowledge I learn each week to real code at work, thats great.

3. If you could give one piece of advice to someone taking this course in the future, what would it be?
• The homework is time consuming.
• Try to keep your project as close to what the assignment so you don't need to modify them a lot in the end.
• STart on the projects early and finish them early, so you can work on your other classes programming projects.
• Set time aside every week on the same day to work on assignments, since there is one due per week. Also make sure you do a good job on the first projects because you reuse that code.
• Make sure you start your projects early!!
• Do not wait until the last day to start you program.
• Start earlier on the last project.
• Stay ahead of the homework and test concepts learned in class that don't come up in the homework.
• Consider skipping the course and just reading a Java book. Most of the course covers APIs, lieele time is spent with difficult ideas.
• The material is truly fascinating. And, of course, I am being graded...
• Don't buy the textbook. Start the projects ASAP.
• Dave doesn't mess around with those quizzes. Also, the jokes really are better the second half of class. Oh, and that whole thing with taking roll? He's writing whether or not he likes you down on those cards.
• Read project descriptions thoroughly. Otherwise you may make stupid mistakes.
• For the project, look at the lecture note a lot
• This won't be very original, but...Start your assignment Early!!! (did I use enough exclaimataion marks?)
• Take this class if you are planning to be a Java developer using object oriented programming concept.
• Pay attention to the online examples before writing any code - a big time saver.
• Start early on the assignments, don't miss the classes.
• Do some research or read ahead topics like OOP, GUIs, XML, and Java itself.
• Familiarize yourself with basic OO concepts first. Know another programming language first.
• Learn Ant early to help build projects. Learn Swing early to help with the final assignment.
• The projects are time consuming. Possibly work with someone to help maintain a fast pace.
• Be prepared to spend a lot of time programming.
• Keep up with the homework assignments in the beginning. Getting behind really sucks.
• Come with an open mind and don't assume you know Java. It's a better language than advertised. Secondarily, learn Eclipse; it's good stuff.
• Don't get behnd in the homework. Spend plenty of time on your assignments because that is where you really learn the material.
• Start programs earlier rather than later. There are a lot of them and they always took a little longer that I expected. And also so that questions can get answered in time to act on the answer.
• Explore the GUI examples ahead of time.
• If you want to work as pro after school, you definitely need to take this course which give you a different view of programming which is closer to real world work.
• Free up your schedule and buckle down.
• 1. Brush on your API before taking the class. 2. Start assignments early.
• They have to start the project as soon as they can. They have to read lecture notes and play with sample codes.
• Be prepared to work hard on the projects. The time you spend on them will be repaid.
• Student for the quizzes.
• Take 1 day of rest after the lecture and then promptly start he next assignment. Live in Javadocs. Obtain a decent editor (not PICO such as I used until the AWT project). Hang tough.
• Read up on OOP concepts and get your hands dirty playing with some java stuff first.

4. What made you stay in this course?
• Enjoyed it - the professor lectured well and knew his subject.
• I like how Java coding is different from C++ and more fun with its features.
• Entertaining teacher, the desire to graduate, desire to learn Java, what else do I have to do on a Wednesday night?
• The class was fun and interesting. The projects seemed to never end, but they really helped me learn the language.
• The projects were fun and useful and Dave makes the lectures interesting.
• This class is fun and GUI programming is very interesting.
• The prof knows what he's talking about. This class provides the student with good thorough practical knowledge.
• Aside from the obvious answers that my boss and the CEO of the company I work for were sitting next to me throughout the classes, I would say that the class has been filled with excellent details that would have taken years to acquire otherwise.
• My co-workers.
• I can learn a lot in every lecture. It was fun.
• I couldn't let Jeff one-up me. Also, I learned new, interesting stuff everyday. With a lot of other CS classes, it seems like the thing you learn don't related to anything you'd actually want to do in the real world.
• Dave is a great teacher and is very entertaining.
• Getting better to understand about Java
• I'm part of a corporation that's becoming a Java shop. For me, this was a much needed springboard.
• I learned many things that I had missed out in my programming career. The course material was interesting and leanred something new and useful everyday.
• Not an issue.
• I stay in all my courses. But this one was fun.
• I like finishing what I start.
• Java ROCKS!
• I wanted to learn more about Ant, JUnit, and concurrent programming.
• Graduation.
• Obviously I was learning a lot and I need good programming skills.
• I want to graduate knowing some practical Java skills.
• The material would increase my employability if I someday become less sick of Java. Also large was my desire to graduate.
• <glib-answer>It was a requirement for my jbo. Worse, if I don't get a B or better, I have to pay for the course. </glib-answer> Also I recognize that I need this kind of boot-camp structure in order to learn quickly.
• Really just enjoyed learning about Java. I think it's a really useful language to learn and found the assignments really aided in helping me undersnard the language faily well.. Dave's pretty funny, too.
• I liked how the phone bill projects built on each other. A great opportunity for object oriented design and code reuse.
• It was really interetsing for me, and enjoying from coding in Java, thinking for a better designs for better performance, debugging Java codes.
• Cool stuff in pretty much every lecture.
• I found this course extremely useful for my future programming skills.
• I like to improve programming skills, learn new language, new technology that the language provide.
• 1. Interesting material. 2. Fantastic instructor, very knowledgable and motivated to teach. 3. Only need 12 more credits to graduate and I'm getting old! 4. I paid my own tuition. Drop a course? Are you kidding!
• I enjoyed the projects, even though the learning curve was high.
• Success at doing the projects.
• Work was paying for my class, and I needed a B or better to not have to pay the company for it. Besides that though, learning java kept me interested and I'm glad I took this class. I've learned so much.


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