Head First Java Sharpen your pencils

[Marvin Domingo]

Hello to all of you.. i would like to ask on where should I find the other answers of the "sharpen your pencils" sections of the 2nd edition of head first java? , there was a downloadable zip file that i was able to download but the solutions aren't all there, the later parts of the book are missing...so help me

[Pauline McNamara]

Hello Marvin,

Here's a possible answer to your question. It's taken from an older discussion, but could very well still be valid:

Originally posted by Bert Bates:
...
Teachers asked us not to provide answers to all of the "sharpens" - the book is often used as a textbook, and this helps teachers by providing built-in testing and/or homework examples.
...

[Marvin Domingo]

oh ok, I understand, but how bout for the people who are already graduates and currently working and wanted learn java?(like me), where should we ask?, since all the staffs here are prohibited to provide answers on that parts of the cool book .

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

Marvin,
Bert said they were asked not to provide the answers to all the questions. If you have a question about a specific one, I doubt people would object to discussing it. Keeping in mind the usually tips for posting questions - write your thoughts about it, don't just ask for a solution.

[Zach Blach]

Using 2nd Edition for HFJ. Is it still the policy that you won't release the answers to the 'Sharpen Your Pencil' exercises?
Quite reedonkulous, I need feedback. VERY lame excuse that this is used by students. Wouldn't the JOB of the instructor of such a class be to create exercises to supplement the book? And are you inferring that, given the chance, that students would cheat ?

[Amit Ghorpade]

"sir swatch " welcome to Javaranch
please check your private messages regarding an important administrative matter.

[Zach Blach]

I respect, but disagree, with the opinion of withholding the answers for simple textbook exercises. Any teacher worth their salt should be able to come up with their own homework exercies. Most people will not waste their time doing an exercise unless they can get feedback. For the majority of us who purchased the book and using it for self paced study, this does not work.

[Bear Bibeault]

Zach Swatch wrote:For the majority of us who purchased the book and using it for self paced study, this does not work.

You have surveyed the majority of the book purchasers?

[Zach Blach]

Egads, I have not surveyed the majority! IMHO<<<But I do feel that I speak for them.>>>IMHO
Sorry if these boards can't handle an opinion.

[Bear Bibeault]

Opinions are more than welcome. Fallacies, not so much.

Your feedback, which I am sure that the authors value, is more credible if you don't resort to hyperbole.

[Zach Blach]

My hypothesis is that a majority of people would like the answers. Just because it is not tested does not make a fallacy.
Are you asserting that no one downloaded the answers for the first half? Does the fact that people downloaded the first half at least prove that there is a desire?
Making a point without hyperbole is a thousand times harder.

[Bear Bibeault]

Making a point without hyperbole is a thousand times more effective.

You can take that as advice or leave it. Your choice.

[Cyndie Enfinger]

I am new to Java and really like this book so far. I found this forum when trying to find where the solutions are to the Sharpen Your Pencil excercises in the later chapters. I am not taking an instructor lead course and wonder if there is a way to get these answers if we are going through this book in a self-paced manner? I can see if I'm correct for chapter 9 by typing it in and trying each one, but wonder if later chapters will be that way.

[Pauline McNamara]

Cyndie Enfinger wrote:I am new to Java and really like this book so far. I found this forum when trying to find where the solutions are to the Sharpen Your Pencil excercises in the later chapters. I am not taking an instructor lead course and wonder if there is a way to get these answers if we are going through this book in a self-paced manner? I can see if I'm correct for chapter 9 by typing it in and trying each one, but wonder if later chapters will be that way.

A good possibility would be to work through the sharpens and then ask in the Beginning Java forum for some feedback (even for the ones with answers, if you want). 'Round these parts you get plenty of help from friendly folks when you're able to show that you've taken a whack at the problem already. So you're already halfway there...