Simple Question on the SCJP

[Andric Villanueva]

I have 4 years experiance in software engineering. I do PHP 5 prrofessionally (I only do OOP) and have worked with C++ and some C#. I just wanted to know if it is a little easier for people that have this kind of background or not.

I plan to take the test the day before my birthday (03/07) so I have something to celebrate on Sunday. I sure hope I can do it.

I have the McGraw Hill book "SCJP Sun Certified Programmer for Java 6 Study Guide"

Thank you for your input

[Punit Singh]

It is easier or not depends on you, how you are going to attack on the subject, how do you discuss them here.
For me SCJP preparation taught me a lot, I discussed every topic here, every little topic will teach you a lot.

[Andric Villanueva]

Right on. I'll make sure to pester you people a bunch then.

I'm usually pretty good about consuming a new language but taking a test i've always been weak on so I got some books and have been going at it like crazy. Finished my first chapter last night and have been going to the Library every weekend to focus on it. Internet + TV + XBox is a hinderance on me. I have too many nice and fun electronics.

I'm only on Chapter 2 but I plan to post a bunch of questions here. Thanks for the response

[Punit Singh]

Andric Villanueva wrote:Right on. I'll make sure to pester you people a bunch then.

I'm usually pretty good about consuming a new language but taking a test i've always been weak on so I got some books and have been going at it like crazy. Finished my first chapter last night and have been going to the Library every weekend to focus on it. Internet + TV + XBox is a hinderance on me. I have too many nice and fun electronics.

I'm only on Chapter 2 but I plan to post a bunch of questions here. Thanks for the response

Ahh no problem, send all those fun electronics and XBox etc to us ranchers. We will play with these for you.

[Stephen Davies]

Andric, I think you should take a step back and think about this. Your Backgroung cetainly shows an aptidute for OOP, but the scope of Java Libraries, and the differences in Java, (particularly inheritance) from C++ etc will catch you out if your not prepared. There is quite a bit of syntactical differencesm in Java which may give you trouble, plus C++ supports multiple class inheritance which Java does not, plus the concept of pointers in Java is handled a little differently. This is just my advice, don't be too complacent. You would probably need more than a Book to get you through.

Good Luck

[Punit Singh]

I do not think that, I am also from c++ background, but I am enjoying java.

[Stephen Davies]

That's good I'm glad you are enjoying Java, so am I, however my point was that just because of Andric's background, it doesn't nescessarily follow, that he could pass SCJP on that knowledge alone. I was not commenting on whether one enjoys Java or not.

Take the anaology of someone who has been learning Spanish for a while, and then decides to learn Italian in a short space of time. Whilst there are similarities, commonalties and shared linguistic heritage, there are still many differences, some sublte some not, but which would still need to be considered in the switch, and to avoid complacency, do you not agree?

[Punit Singh]

If he had knowledge of c++ and c#, then I know these both languages fundamental is very similar to Java, that's why I could catch up java with in 1 month, he had to spend hardly 6 months to get in full speed with java, after all he has working experience, he is not a dumb. He must have basic ideas of polymorphism, and syntax of c# and java is very similar, just c# can hide instance methods also. He could catch java with in 1 month if he wants.

[Stephen Davies]

Punit Singh wrote:If he had knowledge of c++ and c#, then I know these both languages fundamental is very similar to Java, that's why I could catch up java with in 1 month, he had to spend hardly 6 months to get in full speed with java, after all he has working experience, he is not a dumb. He must have basic ideas of polymorphism, and syntax of c# and java is very similar, just c# can hide instance methods also. He could catch java with in 1 month if he wants.

Punit, please calm your replies!

We are rationally discussing here. I believe you are misunderstanding me somewhat, there are several points here you make, which I do not claim to be critical of, Nowhere, at all do I suggest he is dumb (far from it my friend). Of course as I mentioned above he has a solid grounding in OOP (which incorperates polymorphism I assume), that I agree. I don not nescessarily agree in my limited knowledge of C# that C# syntax is similar to Java (though perhaps C++ is more akin?). Further I do not grasp your issue on encapsulaton (hide instance methods, if thats what you are referring to?). Finally, he may well be more than capable of catching up to Java in 1 month, and it is not for me to prevent or stop him in anyway, nor do I propose to know him well enough to say anything about his abilities, he is free to do as he pleases!

My point int he first place was to simply offer some friendly advice to Andric in my personal opinion, not to provide a lecture nor any form of formal guidance, after all is it not what this forum is all about :lol:

I wish him, yourself and any other Java interested people much luck and success, nothing else

[Andric Villanueva]

I just I should say that I've been using Java for 3 months now and have read a Java book cover to cover and have about 200 flash cards from that book. The book is dated though since it's Java 5.

I appreciate your comments though. I will not take it lightly mostly because I don't want to fail but I do not plan to take 6 months to take this exam. I've been studying since mid-late Nov (as you can see is when I signed on) so I think I'm on a good track. I just need to ask more questions (on here) and do more of the mini tests to get me up to speed better. I have been doing micro-apps to test functionality and such but I haven't done enough for me to feel confident with it. So I planned on doing many more of those and asking plenty more questions.

It sucks though because I can't do too much preperation right now because I am at work. I have to get here really early so that I can go throught he book and make some mini programs and I stay a little later when I'm here so that I can do more work on it when my time is up here. Heck, I'm posting from there now

*TV OFF*

[Jesper de Jong]

Welcome to JavaRanch!

Andric Villanueva wrote:The book is dated though since it's Java 5.

There's very little difference between Java 5 and Java 6, so if you have a book about Java 5 then 95% of it is still relevant. No need to buy a new book specifically about Java 6.

[Treimin Clark]

Jesper Young wrote:Welcome to JavaRanch!

Andric Villanueva wrote:The book is dated though since it's Java 5.

There's very little difference between Java 5 and Java 6, so if you have a book about Java 5 then 95% of it is still relevant. No need to buy a new book specifically about Java 6.

Plus, How is the SCJP 1.6 exam different from the SCJP 1.5