August 1, 2008
Java Magic Trick: The Ball Is Everywhere
Tom @ 7:04 pmAs keen Java programmers we’re always on the lookout for interesting tidbits about the language, how it is being used and where it is heading. Just the other day Matt brought in a copy of Java Puzzlers to test our knowledge. So it was something of a coincidence that the guys over at Atlassian came out with their own Java puzzler.
The puzzle is a Java version of the shell game (AKA ‘thimblerig’), where the onlooker must choose which shell the ball is under (after the con artist has shuffled them around).
The puzzle and the included solutions are interesting, and well worth a read if you’re a programmer. Chris came up with the ’static block’ method almost immediately, but I must admit that my thinking was just along the lines of “err, with reflection somehow?” before we looked up the answers.
Four solutions were presented on Atlassian’s blog post, but I have a fifth: The terms of engagement were “you can only modify the class representing the ball”. But what about a solution that doesn’t involve modifying the ball either? What if you could alter the onlookers’ perception so that when the cup is raised they see a ball, despite there not being a ball at all?
Using the Force and with a wave of the hand, we get:
aspect YouWillBeEqual {
boolean around(): call(boolean String.equals(Object)) {
return true;
}
}
Now there is a ball under every cup, always. At least, it appears that way. Actually, everything around here appears to have a ball under it…
Made possible with a little AOP 
