Originally posted by Rick Portugal:
We have debated the value of getting certified many times. Critics say the exams don't cover things that you really use in the real world; they contain obscure code snippets and trivia that don't really relate to the issues that professional Java programmers most need to understand.
The problem I have with certification exams is that they demonstrate Java pitfalls through deliberately poorly coded programs. If I knew someone purposely programmed that way, I wouldn't hire them. Java Puzzlers, on the other hand, shows you how it's easy to hit these pitfalls even with code that looks like it should work. The code in Java Puzzlers is similar to code that I come across all the time. Bloch tells you "don't do that," and patiently explains how to improve your approach.
I really enjoyed Java Puzzlers, and along with Effective Java (and of course Agile Java), it's one of the few Java books I can universally recommend. It will definitely make you a better professional programmer if you take its lessons to heart.
The book is a very enjoyable read, and there are some very interesting "wow" moments. The optical illusions (and the brief discussion of them in the back of the book) add to the attractiveness of this book.
Most of the coding errors demonstrated in the book should never see the light of production day; unfortunately, many of them do. My only suggestion for the book would've been to include a bit of emphasis on how comprehensive
unit testing would help eliminate these defects as soon as they're introduced.
-Jeff-
[ August 09, 2005: Message edited by: Jeff Langr ]