Tess Barnes

… starting the Sun Java tutorial

It’s been over a month since the last blog entry and it’s been carrier to noise ratio a busy month:
finishing off projects
planning a holiday biking round the south of france on a GSXF
and
getting a new job.

The new job was the impetus to take on the java tutorial, trying to get my head around strict typing, odd syntax, compiling code and a whole new API. That’s all hard enough but most of the brickwalls I’ve been banging my head against aren’t down to understanding the language… they are down to how Java is set up and the environment it expects. I feel like I learnt the lessons all in the wrong order.

So for my memory and others out there who’s javac won’t run and whose java class cannot be found, here are my Three Things I Wish I’d Learnt First:

One of the resolutions this year was to post more on my blog and as it’s already 18th of January before the first post of 2009 I may be behind schedule…

One of the delays has been just not feeling comfortable with the look of my blog and the ever present Damocles sword of updating the blog software. I use wordpress and seem to be updating the software more often than updating the blog. Hopefully since I have taken the hour this morning to carefully backup the old site, check my config file changes and install a stable version of 2.7 this will no longer be an issue - at least until 2.8 comes out.

I’ve also treated myself to a new theme, I’m not sure about the blue but the basic style layout is ideal. As I hope to write on a number of varied subjects that interest me, I’m not going to be happy with an overtly geeky or typewriter or photography style - especially if I’m advocating the best use of chilli in parsnip soup at the time.

So the plan is - and I’m telling all of you so I don’t back out - to write more on my journey into php, my latest love hate relationship with html5, my favourite organic veg inspired recipe of the moment, the tai chi move I can’t get my head around and maybe my latest photography walk with highlights.

It’s a tall order perhaps and I may not succeed with everything all of the time but if I learnt only one thing in 2008 it was that if you don’t aim for the stars, you sure as hell ain’t gonna get there.

I just love that title, it reminds me of the first program you ever write in any programming language, first attempted in Basic on a ZX Spectrum by yours truly at the tender age of 11…

Anyway, more importantly, before I ramble on:

Welcome to my journal site! Read more about me on the about page.
I’ve chosen Wordpress because it is easier to customise than many and I want a flexible bespoke look for my up and coming varied content.