constant in object ??

[dojob]

Design a class named Fan to represent a fan. The class contains:
a) Three constants named SLOW, MEDIUM and FAST with value 1, 2, and 3 to denote the fan speed.
b) An int data field named speed that specifies the speed of the fan(default SLOW).
c) boolean data field named on that specifies whether the fan is on(default false).
.....

I would like to know why the sample code given is

public static int SLOW = 1;
public static int MEDIUM = 2;
public static int FAST = 3;

instead of

final static int SLOW = 1;
final static int MEDIUM = 2;
final static int FAST = 3;

Isn't that constant should use final instead of public?

[masijade]

It can also be public final static int. But, yes, technically, if it is to be called a "constant" it SHOULD be final.

[jim829]

Not if all the world is supposed to see it. Besides, comparing public to final doesn't
make sense as they mean different things. It could have been specified as

public final static int SLOW = 1;

But actually, using an enum would have been the better solution.

Regards,
Jim

[quad64bit]

I agree with Jim on both counts. To add to the example you provided, in the first the scope is explicitly declared public meaning that any code anywhere has access to it. This makes sense for certain constants like Math.PI. In the second example, the scope isn't defined which means it is implicitly package-private (the default java scope). This means that any classes in the same package will have access to it, but not from outside. This may or may not be what you want.

[jim829]

I'm impressed that you understood what I said. My grammar was horrible (has since been corrected).

Regards,
Jim

[dojob]

After seeing these replies, I am thinking that perhaps I did not ask the question correctly.

The main idea that I would like to ask is that why final is not used in this case since the question stated that it is constant.

[jim829]

It was already answered. It should be declared final. Sometimes examples don't necessarily do the obvious because they are trying to drive home a different point. Or they simply make a mistake.

Regards,
Jim