Tiles Puzzle

 

Tiles Puzzle is a popular puzzle game that requires you to rearrange the numbers (1-9) into the correct order (from top left to bottom right) using the lowest number of moves. There are 8 tiles and 9 holes. A mouse click on a moveable tile will slide it into its adjacent hole. Each tile can only move one spot adjacently if it is free.

This is my implementation of the game that I created in Java. Feel free to browse the code or download the executable .JAR file.

 

 

Download my implementation of Tiles Puzzle HERE

Download the Source Code HERE

Password Generator

So this is a simple password generator written in Java that I created in about 2 hours. It allows you to specify the length of the password – whether you would like alphabets, numeric digits and special characters in the password. It does not guarantee a secure password – as you will see if you read the code, but acts as an idea and perhaps as a stronger substitute to your firstname+lastname as your password. So use as you wish and learn from the code.

 

 

 

Executable JAR file can be downloaded from HERE

Source code can be downloaded from HERE

 

-Imraan Moosa

Image Sizer

Image Sizer is a mini hobby project that I created that allows you to re-size an image by changing its resolution and hence reducing the file size of the image. This could come in handy when you are trying to email a friend a picture, but the image size is too large. Using Image Sizer you can quickly reduce the size of the image and email the picture over.

Project created in Java with the help of Netbeans 7.0 for the GUI. Feel free to toss and edit the code, keeping my credits in there.

 

 

Image Sizer can be downloaded from HERE

I have also released the source code (written in Java) so that other interested programmers can view and learn from it.

Download Source from HERE

-Imraan Moosa

Farmville Harvester – Open Source

Some time ago I was a huge fan of the Facebook app Farmille. A quite addictive little game allowing you to virtually impersonate a farmer looking after his/her fields, harvesting a growing crops and taking care of animals.

 

The problem is, sooner or later your farm grows at a substantial rate and the Farmville Harvester tool, costs virtual money within the Farmville game. So I created a software solution mimicking the behaviour of the harvester, allowing you to harvest your fields using your keyboard arrows.

You can download my Farmville Harvester from HERE.

 

 

I have also attached the source code (Developed in C#) for this mini project. Feel free to use it and learn from it if you can. Do not remove my credits from it though

Feel free to download the source code HERE

Java – What are Checked and Unchecked Exceptions

Before we begin this mini tutorial, let us break down the definition of an “exception”.

An exception is something going against the norm of things in your code. Exceptions don’t necessarily have to be errors as such, but just something that stands out from the norm. Java has created the ability for the programmer to deal with such exceptions, whether they be defined already or your own custom defined exceptions.

So what are checked exceptions:

Basically a checked exception is an exception derived from the Exception class, except those exceptions from RunTimeException and its subclasses. No matter how careful you are as a programmer, there may come a time when you encounter such Exceptions which are not your fault such as a deleted file, the network crashing or the server failing. The compiler that you are using will insist that you deal with these types of exceptions in a try..catch {} block.

Unchecked exceptions:

To be blunt, an unchecked exception is an error on the programmers side. These kinds of exceptions, derived from RunTimeException and its subclasses, will throw an exception if things such as reading an element that doesn’t exist in an array, an object pointing to a null reference etc. The compiler will not force you to deal with these types of exceptions at compile time, however it is recommended that policies are set in place to prevent such occurrences.

 

Stop Chasing The Money!

Stop chasing the money. Money shouldn’t be the goal! That is the number 1 mistake that people make today. People have the wrong perception and therefore their reality rarely transforms into what they actually want. Stop chasing the money. Find something you love. Do it with PASSION. And I mean the raw definition of passion. Love what you are doing. Make it something where you can actually benefit other people. Learn and find out what you can do for someone else and you will find that the rewards are far far greater than trying to make other people do something for you.

Listen closely now, if you do something that you love, with absolute sincerity, passion and dedication, you will find that you will be the best. And through that, people will see value in your work. And through that, you will earn better. And through that, you will begin to see your dreams and goals becoming the reality that you hoped.

Find that passion. Don’t concentrate on your weaknesses, harness those strengths. Always play to your strengths and you will find that not only will you touch the stars, but you will touch a million galaxies.

Have a wonderful day.

Imraan Moosa

Blogging – The new way of earning money!

Blogging can be thought of as an online personal diary in which the author posts on a variety or specific topics of interest. These blogs are made public to the the whole world, where a difference of opinion and comments are shared. Authors usually post fresh articles and interesting reads on a daily basis with the sole purpose of deriving unique and repeated visitors to their blog. It’s interesting to look at the idea of such a simple concept and wonder how the internet has brought on some unique and out-of-this-world to previous generations concepts and made them into a daily part of our lives.

Lots of people use their blogs as a way of voicing their opinions and thoughts to the world, however more and more people are beginning to see the light of using their blogs as a form of generating income. How is this so?

Well, with the advent of new and easier by the day technology, you can get paid by merely saying interesting things funny thought. Companies and other blogs are constantly looking for ways to market their new products and services, and with blogging, it allows those companies to advertise on blogs. So the visitors of the blogs see the advertisements and click them. Each time an advertisement is clicked, the author of the blog gets paid a tiny amount. So a win-win scenario takes place.

Google’s free AdSense service is a common and most revered option chosen when looking for ways to allow companies to advertise on your blog. A small rectangular advertisement is placed onto your blog, and all you have to do is generate traffic to your blog and get paid.

Sounds easy?

Not quite so. There are millions of blogs and websites all competing for internet users attention in this global era that we live in. You as a blog author have to be able to lure that internet user to your blog and if you manage to keep that user on your blog for more than 40 seconds, well then congratulations my friend, you are on the right road

So how do you generate more traffic to your blog?

Well for each problem, entrepreneurs (in the definitions true sense) see opportunity. Special tips and tricks are out there that allow you to generate more traffic to your blog.

Here are just a few secrets that I will share with you:

1. Join a forum of interest and add a link to your blog in your signature.
2. Write valuable and quality articles daily.
3. Add meta-tags to your posts to improve your rankings on search engines.
4. Use back-links when posting your articles on other sites.
5. Post your articles on other sites such as ezinearticles.
6. Search for blog directories (a simple google search) and submit your blog on them.

With these few words in mind, I would like to tell you that at first it will definitely take time to establish your blog, but so do all good things. Just keeping working at it and in due time you will see results.

Happy blogging.

MindTools.com – Essential skills needed for any person

I recently came into contact with an amazing website. A site dedicated to improving your daily skills that will help you improve your problem-solving, decision making, leadership, distress, communication skills, information skills and many many others.

These type of skills are mandatory to develop in order to be successful, both in business and your personal life. I believe that it is just as important to invest in your inner-self than to invest in your outer-self.

Learn, learn, learn.

Don’t ever stop learning.

And the best part of all is that each article on the site is short and free. My recommendation is to spend at least only 20 minutes a day reading and applying ONE new principle into your life. Therefore in just 1 year, you would have made yourself 360 times better than you were the previous year. Now isn’t that something??

Link to MindTools.com

- Imraan Moosa

Entrepreneurship From A Young Persons Perspective

We have all seen articles, blog and websites regarding entrepreneurship, but today I intend on writing from a different perspective. Many young folk today are looking around and seeing young people, entrepreneurs like Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Ben Kaufman (Mophie), Bobby Chang (Rapidshare) and many others and become motivated by their success. These people have made it..but only through hard word and determination.

Now I understand that you as a young person may have many things that you need to balance ie: studies, side work, friends and relaxing in general. But with a little work and determination – you can be on the road of success.

Please remember that becomming successful or making a name for yourself will not happen overnight – you will have tons of obstacles and difficulties that you need to persevere through, but you know what? At the end of the day IT’S WORTH IT! Why you may ask? Because in reality this will be experience on its own!

So what does it take to become an entrepreneur you say?

My first advice to you is to find something you love. In my experience and reading, doing something you love is the most important because in it you will find yourself passionate about it and without even realising, you will work hard. And work isn’t work if it’s something you love

2. Always think BIG – Now don’t backpaddle, always be thinking big, but remember to think realistic aswell. When you start small, take one step at a time – persevere and work towards a goal.

3. Focus! Focus! Focus! – I cannot stress the importance of this point. Many and I say many people tend to find an idea..think it through and through – but don’t follow up. They forget that the follow up is the most important thing. Everybody has ideas, but it is those few who follow up on their ideas, work hard through it and are determined that truely make it.

4. Keep a balance in your life – Too much of something is never good. You need to balance your studies, work, friends and social life. Equilibrium is the best state and always try to plan yourself accordingly so that none of your obligations suffer.

5. Find something that motivates you – Whether it be you sticking a page on your roof saying “I WILL BE A YOUNG MILLIONAIRE” or by you reading about other young successful entrepreneurs – find something that motivates you. It will help you in times of difficulty and lack of motivation. Remember to act upon that motivation every single day.

If there is one thing I’ve learnt it’s that.. you become what you ultimately think about most. So if you’re thinking about your idea of entrepreneurship contineously – you will ultimately become successful.

One step at a time, slowly but surely you will get there. Trust me, if you want it bad enough – you’re definately going to get it.

Wotcha,

Imraan Moosa

Mobile Apps

The U.S mobile apps market is set to reach $9 billion by 2011.