Introduction to the Sample Goose

The sample goose is a small Java progam which programmers may study and adapt. It is a good way to learn how to 'make a goose' out of any pre-existing (or new) Java program. Here are its few simple features:

1. On startup, it registers with the gaggle boss, and displays a simple Swing gui.
2. Every time it receives a message (one of the four data types) from another goose in the gaggle, it prints out a very brief description of that message.
3. It sends small sample instances of any of these basic gaggle data types to any selected goose when you press the appropriate button. (Tooltips explain what the tersely-named buttons do.)

We recommend that the programmer take these steps:

1. First compile the existing SampleGoose.java program, using supplied source code and gaggle.jar (see the Download and Compile links to the left).
2. Start the Gaggle boss, a couple of other geese, and the SampleGoose (see the Run link).
3. Test all the broadcast and receive capabilities.
4. Once this is working, and well understood, you are in a good position to customize (or cannibalize from) SampleGoose.java, to make your own goose.