NX or not NX?

[Jim Yingst]

How do we know whether a given exam is "new format" (NX) or not? I downloaded my assignment a couple weeks ago; I tend to assume it's "new" since, well, it's pretty new. However much of the discussion I see in NX topics (and elsewhere) seems to refer to different (perhaps similar) assignments. E.g. I see mentions of what sound like flight reservations and hotels. Personally, my assignment deals with a DB of home improvement contractors, for "Bodgitt & Scarper L.L.C.". The DB file name is db-2x1.db. So, is this indeed an "NX" assignment? Are there other NX assignments? What's the most convenient way to identify the assignment I'm talking about? A brief list of the known assignments out there might be helpful. Thanks!

[Andrew Monkhouse]

Hi Jim,
Does this mean you are going to spend more time here and less time in MD?
There are three assignments that I know of, the

"Fly By Night Services" (FBNS) flight reserverations system

"URLyBird" hotel reservation system

"Bodgitt & Scarper" contractors

FBNS is the old assignment. The other two are the new assignments.
The major difference seems to be that Sun provided classes and source code with FBNS to read and write from the database. So those of us that have that assignment had an easier starting point than those on the new assignment.
Otherwise the assignments are very similar in scope, and most of the same issues apply.
I did make a comment in another thread that I didn't like the NX prefix, however it may not have been read. So here it is again:

Off topic question to the bartenders: instead of NX: in the headings, would it be better to have "FBNS", "HTL", or "CTX" in the headings? And no mnemonic for general issues? Otherwise we could get to a point 12 months from now where every post starts with "NX" and newcommers are confused.)

Regards, Andrew

[Jim Yingst]

Does this mean you are going to spend more time here and less time in MD?
Probably more time in here and in MD.
Thanks for your response. I had a vague memory of seeing something like that earlier, but couldn't find it. (Searching "NX" turned up too many hits.)
Otherwise we could get to a point 12 months from now where every post starts with "NX" and newcommers are confused.
Heck, we're at a point now where at least one newcomer was confused. But maybe it's just me.

[Barry Gaunt]

Hi Jim, just to prove you are confused, I got the same assignment as you, Bodgitt&Scarper, but with a datababy called db-2x2.db (with incorrect data in it)
Have fun.

[James Wong]

here comes one more confused new comer.
agree with Andrew's scheme.

[S. Ganapathy]

Hi Barry Gaunt,
How about your search functionality. What is your plan for that. Are you providing only one search field for all fields, with name value pairs, or something else in your mind.
Ganapathy