Donald Raab
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thedonraab.bsky.social
Donald Raab
@thedonraab.bsky.social
Java Champion. Writer of blogs. Creator of the OSS Java library Eclipse Collections. Author of Eclipse Collections Categorically (https://a.co/d/6KmhrNK) . Opinions are my own.
Blog: https://donraab.medium.com/
"Don't count the days. Make the Days count."

See the days from 2020-1-1 to 2025-1-31 count themselves. Included are examples that use Java Time (LocalDate), threeten-extra (LocalDateRange), Java Stream, and Eclipse Collections types.
donraab.medium.com/tell-dont-as...
Tell Don’t Ask and Be Specific About the Return Type
Learn how Bag is a natural return type for a method named countBy.
donraab.medium.com
January 4, 2026 at 5:08 PM
I wonder how many amazing people I will discover in 2026 who I didn't know existed before.
January 2, 2026 at 10:58 PM
Reposted by Donald Raab
My first blog of 2026: Tell Don’t Ask and Be Specific About the Return Type
donraab.medium.com/tell-dont-as...
Tell Don’t Ask and Be Specific About the Return Type
Learn how Bag is a natural return type for a method named countBy.
donraab.medium.com
January 2, 2026 at 7:40 AM
My first blog of 2026: Tell Don’t Ask and Be Specific About the Return Type
donraab.medium.com/tell-dont-as...
Tell Don’t Ask and Be Specific About the Return Type
Learn how Bag is a natural return type for a method named countBy.
donraab.medium.com
January 2, 2026 at 7:40 AM
Today's the day. Use the website for the offer, not the mobile app. I hope you'll get your copy to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of #EclipseCollections at the @eclipse.org . There is a story driven approach you might be surprised by here. Generations and U.S. Presidents included. Happy New Year!
What Kindle book can you get for $0 on January 1st, 2026?
January 1, 2026 at 7:09 PM
Happy New Year! 🥂
The #EclipseCollections #Java library has been FREE and OSS since Dec. 25, 2015. To celebrate the 10 year anniversary, you can get a free Kindle version of the "Eclipse Collections Categorically" book on Dec. 24 & 25, 2025 and Jan. 1, 2026. Happy Holidays! 🤗 🥂
January 1, 2026 at 8:32 AM
I'm hoping for some surprising and amazing tangents in 2026. Plan is nothing, planning is everything. Happy NYE!
donraab.medium.com/the-tangent-...
The Tangent is the Opportunity
Focus and flow are great until they hinder and hide creative discoveries.
donraab.medium.com
December 31, 2025 at 7:24 PM
What Kindle book can you get for $0 on January 1st, 2026?
December 30, 2025 at 1:21 AM
Reposted by Donald Raab
A very interesting read from @thedonraab.bsky.social, as always!
December 29, 2025 at 7:48 AM
I asked and answered only one question in StackOverflow in 2025. I got some great advice from @shipilev.bsky.social which helped me do the necessary research to answer my own question. I even got comfortable building from source to see some new JOL improvements. 🙏
stackoverflow.com/questions/79...
Does Java Object Layout (JOL) work with Java 25 and Compact Object Headers enabled?
Java 25 was released on September 16, 2025 and included JEP 519 with Compact Object Headers (COH). The latest release version of JOL (0.17) has been released in February, 2023. I have compared the ...
stackoverflow.com
December 28, 2025 at 8:59 PM
My top three blogs of 2025. Enjoy! 🙏

donraab.medium.com/my-top-three...
My top three blogs of 2025
After eight years, the blogging continues.
donraab.medium.com
December 27, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Does your #Java collections code still read like it's 2015?

"A decade feels like a very long month"

Happy ten year anniversary #EclipseCollections. ❤️

donraab.medium.com/the-ten-year...
The Ten Year Anniversary and the Next Five Years for Eclipse Collections
Celebrating ten years of Eclipse Collections at the Eclipse Foundation.
donraab.medium.com
December 26, 2025 at 4:13 AM
Discover the feature that #Java has been missing for over 30 years by getting a copy of the Amazon Kindle version of "Eclipse Collections Categorically" for $0 today, or on Jan. 1, 2026. #Smalltalk had this feature for >45 years. 🤔🤷‍♂️

Book Link: www.amazon.com/Eclipse-Coll...
December 25, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Merry Christmas! 🎄
Also, happy 10th Anniversary #EclipseCollections!

I always wanted an Eclipse Collections hat. My wife had two made for me with the EC logo. A triple surprise, since she didn't know that today was the 10th anniversary of EC. 🙏

Last chance until New Years for $0 ECC Kindle book. 👇
December 25, 2025 at 6:22 PM
The #EclipseCollections #Java library has been FREE and OSS since Dec. 25, 2015. To celebrate the 10 year anniversary, you can get a free Kindle version of the "Eclipse Collections Categorically" book on Dec. 24 & 25, 2025 and Jan. 1, 2026. Happy Holidays! 🤗 🥂
December 24, 2025 at 5:52 PM
I just saw this type while browsing a code base in GitHub.

Map<Set<Integer>, Set<Integer>>

If you have types like this in your code base, I only have one thing to say.
a man in a christmas elf costume is making a funny face and says nooooooo !!!
ALT: a man in a christmas elf costume is making a funny face and says nooooooo !!!
media.tenor.com
December 24, 2025 at 5:12 AM
Tomorrow is day one of three to book your tour of #Java collection fundamentals in 2026 for free on Amazon Kindle. Happy Christmas Eve! 🎄
For my first holiday season as a published author, I'll be giving out a few copies of the hardcover version of my book, to friends & family.

🎁 In the spirit of giving, the Amazon Kindle version of my book will be FREE on Dec. 24th and 25th, 2025, and Jan. 1st, 2026. 🎁

Happy Holidays!!! 🎅🎄🥂
December 24, 2025 at 2:04 AM
Reposted by Donald Raab
My latest blog: The Ten Year Anniversary and the Next Five Years for Eclipse Collections

The long road of this amazing OSS project continues. With 10 years at the Eclipse Foundation, 14 years as OSS, and 21 years in development, we're just getting started. 💗🦋

donraab.medium.com/the-ten-year...
The Ten Year Anniversary and the Next Five Years for Eclipse Collections
Celebrating ten years of Eclipse Collections at the Eclipse Foundation.
donraab.medium.com
December 22, 2025 at 3:18 AM
My latest blog: The Ten Year Anniversary and the Next Five Years for Eclipse Collections

The long road of this amazing OSS project continues. With 10 years at the Eclipse Foundation, 14 years as OSS, and 21 years in development, we're just getting started. 💗🦋

donraab.medium.com/the-ten-year...
The Ten Year Anniversary and the Next Five Years for Eclipse Collections
Celebrating ten years of Eclipse Collections at the Eclipse Foundation.
donraab.medium.com
December 22, 2025 at 3:18 AM
GS Collections was open sourced by Goldman Sachs 14 years ago. The 10th anniversary of #EclipseCollections first release @eclipse.org is in 4 days. If you're waiting for new Collections in #Java after 30 years, the wait continues, while EC continues to grow & evolve. 💗🦋
medium.com/javarevisite...
Java Streams are great but it’s time for better Java Collections
After 25 years, it’s time for Java to get a Collections upgrade.
medium.com
December 21, 2025 at 7:27 PM
If you're unsure if you'll need to know programming fundamentals after 2025 including API and library design, TDD, OOD, data structures, lambdas, efficiency, performance, then maybe get a free Kindle copy of ECC on one of these three days just in case. 🤷‍♂️

A review blog.waynebeaton.ca/posts/ecc/re...
December 20, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Reposted by Donald Raab
Free Kindle version! #Java Data Structures, using #EclipseCollections.
For my first holiday season as a published author, I'll be giving out a few copies of the hardcover version of my book, to friends & family.

🎁 In the spirit of giving, the Amazon Kindle version of my book will be FREE on Dec. 24th and 25th, 2025, and Jan. 1st, 2026. 🎁

Happy Holidays!!! 🎅🎄🥂
December 13, 2025 at 6:48 PM
I started teaching myself Turbo Prolog in 1986, around the same time I started writing poetry. Coincidence? 🤷‍♂️
donraab.medium.com/computer-aid...
Computer Aided in the Eighties
What I lack in artistic talent, I also lack in desire for a free ride.
donraab.medium.com
December 19, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Reposted by Donald Raab
For my first holiday season as a published author, I'll be giving out a few copies of the hardcover version of my book, to friends & family.

🎁 In the spirit of giving, the Amazon Kindle version of my book will be FREE on Dec. 24th and 25th, 2025, and Jan. 1st, 2026. 🎁

Happy Holidays!!! 🎅🎄🥂
December 13, 2025 at 6:35 PM
For my first holiday season as a published author, I'll be giving out a few copies of the hardcover version of my book, to friends & family.

🎁 In the spirit of giving, the Amazon Kindle version of my book will be FREE on Dec. 24th and 25th, 2025, and Jan. 1st, 2026. 🎁

Happy Holidays!!! 🎅🎄🥂
December 13, 2025 at 6:35 PM