kernel info

[inkedmn]

hacked this badboy out a couple nights ago.

it works, but i'd still like to know if it looks okay to everyone...


import java.net.*;
import java.io.*;

public class GetKernel {
public static void main(String[] args) {
String server = "kernel.org";
Socket sock;
BufferedReader in;
char[] stuff = new char[710];
try {
sock = new Socket(server, 79);
sock.getOutputStream().write('\n');
in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(sock.getInputStream()));
in.read(stuff, 0, 710);
sock.close();
System.out.println(stuff);
} catch (IOException e) {
System.out.println(e);
System.exit(1); }
}
}

[Strike]

Just out of curiosity, why the hardcoded 710? What significance is that number?

[inkedmn]

that's the number of bytes that are sent from kernel.org.

[bwkaz]

Always? What happens when 2.10.10 gets released? Wouldn't that require an extra byte over and above the 710 limit?

Or what happens if they start reporting another patch set, like the -dj patchset which just came up not all that long ago?

[inkedmn]

then i'll make it 711... :rolleyes:

[kmj]

inkedmn: his point is that you should make it a const variable, and use that variable. That way, when you need to change it, you only change it in one spot. Using integer literals throughout your code is considered bad style especially when the same value is used more than once.

[inkedmn]

i didn't get that from his post at all, but thanks for the input

[kmj]

oh, well, anyway, DO THAT!!!! :)

or don't. Here it doesn't matter, but if you did it like this in a real project, it'd get quite messy and unmaintainable.

[inkedmn]

i understand that, but being a java n00b, i'm comfortable with making n00b mistakes :)

thanks again for the input :)

[Strike]

That's not really a Java newbie mistake as much as a general programming newbie mistake. Hardcoded numbers in code are almost never good (with a few exceptions, like starting at 0 while iterating through loops and such). Symbolic constants are always much easier to read, and since they are defined once and used many times, they are much easier to change as well.

[inkedmn]

i see your point...