Today, I finished taking my Java SE 8 Programmer I certification test.  I passed as expected, and will be updating my resume on this site accordingly.  It seems Oracle provides a special logo for use on my resume, business cards, or website, so I should be able to apply that when I receive it early next week.

Most questions were very easy to understand and answer, but as expected, the test is designed to easily mislead you to an incorrect answer also.  I find it so much easier to use Java in real life, where you can easily make sure classes compile, because the IDE tells you when anything is wrong.  Of course, over time, one tends to not repeat the same mistakes.  In my work, I find that I’ve learned what those pitfalls are, and how to correct them, but the real value of my experience is how to avoid the kinds of mistakes that no IDE will ever point out: writing inefficient programs, whether running slower than optimal or confusing for the users, as well as poorly managing projects that fail to complete on time and within budget.

And now, on to other things…continuing the search, studying other technologies of interest, and perhaps complete a new project for myself, whether it becomes the next great QuickBooks or just something where I get to practice my skills.