Movin' them doggies on the Cattle Drive

It's where you come to learn Java, and just like the cattle drivers of the old west, you're expected to pull your weight along the way.

The Cattle Drive forum is where the drivers get together to complain, uh rather, discuss their assignments and encourage each other. Thanks to the enthusiastic initiative of Johannes de Jong, you can keep track of your progress on the drive with the Assignment Log. If you're tough enough to get through the nitpicking, you'll start collecting moose heads at the Cattle Drive Hall of Fame.

Gettin' them doggies...
At the moment, folks is steerin' clear of the Classes and Objects trail. Must be somethin' in the wind. The other three trails are keepin' about a dozen Drivers busy a-kickin' up dust and a-chasin' them Moose.

Fresh riders on the Drive...
Got three new Cattle Drivers signed up on the assignment log, Chris Leeworthy, Nicholas Burgett and Sherry Cuenco, all jumpy and chompin' at the bit to push them nitpickers. The trail gets a might bit bumpy 'round these parts. Get ready...

Another moose on the wall for...
Yep, that's right, you make it through, you get yerself a nice little moose to hang on the wall. Well, OK, so it's a virtual moose on a virtual wall, but you can be right proud of 'em! Thanks to the efforts of Marilyn deQueiroz, you can now proudly admire your codin' accomplishments at the Cattle Drive Hall of Fame. Check it out, pardner, it's worth a wink.

This month, three Drivers bagged a moose on the Classes and Objects trail. A big congratulations to John Hembree, Donald Cossitt (his second this month), and Richard Hawkes, the third Driver to ever pass OOP-4 on the first try - not that it's a competition or anything...

Make room at the bar for ol' timer Carol Murphy who just bagged her fourth moose out on the JDBC trail. Can't wait to suck down some sasparilla with ya and hear some of them fish stories.

Back in the saddle
Cowboy Joseph Russell spent a spell out on the open range. But now's he's back in town, huntin' down that no-good varmint called "Say-4b."

Nearin' the end of the trail
Old-timer Barry Gaunt, as persistent as ever, is gettin' close to the last assignment. Folks will have to make up new assignments just to keep him going.

Nitpicking is hard work too...
We know they're workin' reeeeeally hard, after all, we've seen what those assignments look like once the nitpickers have combed through 'em. Hats off to Marilyn deQueiroz, Pauline McNamara, and Jason Adam for their dedication and patience with the pesky vermin that always manage to make their way into those assignments.

Those gentlemen behind the bar...
Notice the fellas wipin' the bar and shinin' up the sarsparila glasses? Updating that assignment log is tough work too. Big thanks to Michael Matola and Barry Gaunt. Mosey up and place yer orders. Rumor has it Michael keeps some special stuff under the bar, if you know what to ask fer.

Joinin' the Drive
You think ya got what it takes? You ready for some work and some good learnin'? Then pull up a stool and read up on Joinin' the Drive. Good luck!

Content and format adapted from Ol' Timer Pauline McNamara's original column. -Dirk Schreckmann.