[NTLUG:Discuss] [Fwd: Re: [javamug_discuss] Re: Java/Linux versus school teacher.]

Tom Hayden tom.hayden.iii at mail.airmail.net
Mon Mar 19 13:29:43 CDT 2007


Steve,
	Please see the link below. It takes you to the official Java documents 
and appears to have a detailed discussion of this issue.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	Re: [javamug_discuss] Re: [NTLUG:Discuss] Java/Linux versus
school teacher.
Date: 	Mon, 19 Mar 2007 10:23:41 -0700 (PDT)
From: 	Grant Lovaasen <g_lovaasen at yahoo.com>
To: 	Tom Hayden <tom.hayden.iii at mail.airmail.net>



See link below:

http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/third_edition/html/lexical.html#19369

Tom Hayden <tom.hayden.iii at mail.airmail.net> wrote:

     Steve,
     I am forwarding this question to the JavaMUG discussion group where the
     Java people can take a look at it. I suspect the "correct" answer has
     more to do with Java than Linux
     steve wrote:

      > Do we have any Java/Linux guru's in the house?
      >
      > My son is learning Java in high school - inevitably they use
      > Windows machines - but it's Java - which is portable - so it
      > doesn't matter a whole lot. So my kid can use Linux to do
      > his homework without problems.
      >
      > ...mostly...
      >
      > The other day, they had a Java Exam. The first two questions
      > go like this:
      >
      > Assume x and y are String variables with x="Hello" and y=null.
      >
      > 1) The result of (x==y) is
      > a) true
      > b) false
      > c) a syntax error
      > d) a run-time error
      > e) x being set to the value null.
      >
      > I think we can all agree that the answer is (b)false.
      >
      > 2) It the operation y="Hello"; is performed then the result
      > of (x==y) is:
      > a) true
      > b) false
      > c) x and y becoming aliases
      > d) x being set to the value null
      > e) a run-time error
      >
      > Question 2 is a problem. My son said "(a) true" but the
      > teacher says that the answer is "(b)false" - and whilst
      > I'm not a Java expert (I'm a C++ person) I can see why. Even
      > though both x and y are set to "Hello", they don't refer to
      > the same String object and the '==' operator doesn't compare
      > the contents of the objects - it only tests whether the same
      > object is being referenced on both sides. (At least according
      > to "Java2 for Dummies" and my C++ intuition).
      >
      > When my son makes mistakes like that, I encourage him to write
      > a little program to convince himself. The trouble is that when
      > we tested it by writing a little Java program and running it
      > under Linux:
      >
      > String x="Hello";
      > String y="Hello";
      > if ( x==y )
      > println ( "true" ) ;
      > else
      > println ( "false" ) ;
      >
      > The answer comes out "true"...oh-oh!
      >
      > This suggests that some kind of optimisation is going on inside
      > the Java compiler and the two instances of the "Hello" string are
      > being combined into one single object or something.
      >
      > Clearly then the teacher is wrong and the correct answer is "either
      > true or false depending on the implementation"...but I'm having
      > a hard time believing that Java is that ill-specified. Is it in
      > fact the case that Java under Windows would also have reported
      > 'true'?
      >
      > So should I complain to the teacher? Stop using Linux for this
      > stuff? (over my cold, dead body!)...Or is there something subtle
      > that I'm missing here?
      >
      >
      > Thanks!
      >
      > _______________________________________________
      > http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
     <http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss>
      >
      >
      >

     --
     Tom Hayden III

     Coherent solutions for chaotic situations

     tom.hayden.iii at mail.airmail.net
     <mailto:tom.hayden.iii%40mail.airmail.net>
     214-435-4174

     2636 Verandah Ln.
     Apartment 1431
     Arlington Texas, 76006

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========================
Grant Lovaasen
grant.lovaasen at yahoo.com
========================


-- 
Tom Hayden III

Coherent solutions for chaotic situations

tom.hayden.iii at mail.airmail.net
214-435-4174

2636 Verandah Ln.
Apartment 1431
Arlington Texas, 76006




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