1999 - a trip down memory lane . . . here's a CS assignment where we were basically finding mp3s to rip off around the internet. Kind of hilarious in context. This was 2 months before Napster came out.

P1Info.java

/**
 * Class p1info.java -- an information file for assignment 1
 *  in CS4812.  This file is formatted as a .java file, with
 *  extensive comment fields, so that it might be harmlessly
 *  added to a project file in most popular IDEs.  This allows
 *  for more convenient consultation of the assignment
 *  specifications during development.
 *
 * @author <A HREF="mailto:dagon@cc.gatech.edu">David Dagon</A>
 * @version 1.1
 */

public class P1Info extends Object implements java.io.Serializable {
    
    
    public static void main (String arg[])
    {
        System.err.println ("This class is not meant to be run");
        System.exit(0);
    }
    
    /*****************************************************************/
    /*
      
      P1Info.java 
      
          
      
      CS 4812:  "Stealth" JAVA! Programming Assignment 1
      - Spring Quarter, 1999.
      
      Program Title:  A Java Refresher
      
      Assigned:          April 6, 1999
      Design Doc Due:    N/A, though recommended
      Program Due:       TBA
      
      I.  FILE PROVIDED
      ===================
      
      You are given two files for this assignment:
      
      o P1Info.java        - this file.
      
      o MP3.java           - a data class file

      o P1Constants.java   - an interface of constants

  
      II.  DELIVERABLES (what you need to turn in)
      ==============================================
  
      o All source files created for this program, or modified by you
      (Once again, please do NOT modify the gtPage.java file.)
  
      o Turn materials in using e-mail, or some other means that
      provides a time-stamp. 

           PLEASE NOTE:  You may only turnin jar files.  No other
         format will be accepted.  Please see the directions
         below for turnin details.


  
  
      III.  LEARNING GOALS
      =======================
  
      o Brush up on basic Java syntax.

      o Get real good at creating console-based programs
  
      o Familiarity with Java IO Package.
  
      o Gaining some comfort with basic networking
  
      o Gaining exposure to simple RMI




      IV.  HEADER FILE
      ===================

      o Before beginning work, please create a header for your
      source files.  You might find it convenient to use the
      file provided to CS1502 students.  If you don't have a
      copy of this file, it is reprinted below: 
    */


    /**
     * CS4812: Program #1
     *
     * <PRE>
     * Enter a brief description here
     *
     * Revisions:  1.0  DATE, 1999
     *                  Created class XXXXX
     * </PRE>
     *
     * @author <A HREF="mailto:YOUR EMAIL HERE">
     *                     YOUR NAME GOES HERE </A>
     *
     * @version Version 1.0, DATE, 1999
     *
     */

    /*

      V.  GENERAL OVERVIEW: CONSTRUCTING A SIMPLE MENU-DRIVEN IO PROGRAM
      ====================================================================

     There's nothing more upsetting than the suffering large multi-
   national record companies must endure at the hands of MP3 pirates.

   As many of you know, mp3 is a format for encoding CD-quality music
   in a ditigal format.  Many people use mp3s to illegally trade copies
   of music CDs and other copywritten materials.  Since this practice
   is often illegal, web sites are constantly popping up on the net,
   offering illegal mp3s for download.  Often, these sites are taken
   down by the ISP provider, but only after they receive news of the
   illegal activities.

       Many record companies keep vigil over their intellectual
   property by patroling the internet, looking for sites that
   offer mp3s for download.  By contacting the site owners or
   ISP providers, they hope to stem the tide of illegal mp3
   distribution.  

       This makes searching for mp3s difficult.  Many of the links
   one finds are no longer valid--removed at the request of a
   large record company.  Since sites are created and shutdown
   so quickly, search results for mp3s are riddled with bad links.

       Your job is to help the record companies search the internet
   for mp3s.  You will write a search robot that locates and validates
   mp3 links.  I must stress that in the course of this assignment,
   you might be tempted to download mp3s for your own use.  Please
   note that this may constitute of a violation of Title 19, United
   States Code.  Let's be clear on this: your software merely searches
   the interent for mp3s, for later use by a record company in
   protecting its intellectual property.  Please use you program
   only for the good of mankind, and large multinational record 
   companies.

       In short, your program will do the following:

          1) search the internet using any number of common 
             portals or search engines.  You will be given
             an interface file that will help with this.

          2) After obtaining a search result from, say,
             Alta Vista, you will recursively load all 
             of the links in the returned pages up to a certain
             depth.  (The depth of the search must be user
             selected.)   Thus, if the first link returned
             from your Alta Vista query points to "http://
             plunderphonic.warez.org/mp3.html", you must
             load that page and:

                    a) search for mp3 files linked from 
                       the page, identified by the ".mp3" 
                       file extension.

                    b) validate any mp3 links (checking for
                       java.lang.HttpURLConnection.HTTP_BAD_REQUEST,
                       or some other indication that the 
                       link is 'dead')
                    
                    c) save the URL of the valid mp3 link
                       in a special object (MP3.java; see
                       discussion below),

                    d) recursively load all links found on
                       the referencing web page.

          3) Your program merely needs to recursively load
             and parse web pages.  You need not worry about
             bad HTML.  You may assume that all pages you
             will encounter use valid hyperlinks, thus:

              <a href="Maria_Carey_Sings_Opera.mp3> Maria </a>

             Thus, your HTML parser does not have to be 
             very robust.  However, you should write it in such a 
             manner that facilitates later revision and 
             improvements.  (E.g., abstract out the parsing
             functions into another class.)

          4) Your program also does not need to verify that
             the linked file is *actually* an mp3 file.  You
             merely need to check whether or not any links 
             ending with ".mp3" have valid object references.
             Please DO NOT download the mp3 files.  (This will
             take quite a bit of time, and may constitute a
             violation of applicable copyright protections.)

                  Thus, if a link to:

              <a href="Cool_Sounds.mp3"> Check this out </a>

             Merely links to an image or other object, you
             still record the reference as valid.

          5) Once you have located and validated the existence
             of an mp3 file, you must submit the URL to a
             server using Java RMI--remote method invocation.
 
             Shortly, you will be given a policy file, skeleton
             stubs, and an API.

          6) Your program should also allow the user to save
             the URL to disk as a serialized object.



      VI.  RESTRICTIONS 
      ====================================================================

      The follow restrictions apply to your program:

           1)  You may not use your program to download MP3 files.

           2)  You may not use util.java, or any other utility
               file from CS1502.  All keyboard input must be
               handled by your own I/O class.  You may consult
               util.java for advice about creating stream
               readers; however, all code must be your own.

           3)  You may not modify the MP3.java file.  If all
               of the students use the same common record file,
               search results can be compared and shared with
               other students in the class.  Please do not
               share the actual MP3 files, of course.

           4)  You must use the file "P1Constants.java".  You
               can modify this interface to suit your needs;
               however, it must remain an interface, and it
               must be implemented by some class in your
               program.

                   The P1Constants file contains essential
                 features and menu options your program must
                 support.  You add to them, create additional
                 sub-menu options, and like.  You can delete
                 all of the contents of the interface; however,
                 part of your program must impelements an
                 interface called "P1Constants"

           5)  Your program must be submitted as a jar file.
               You can learn about creating jar files at:
 
               http://www.javasoft.com/products/jdk/1.2/docs/tooldocs
                        /win32/jar.html

               Extra credit will be awarded for files that
               contain a manifest, with proper executable
               settings.

           6)  Further information about the RMI capabilities
               of your program will be released shortly.  I
               am investigating the possibility of installing
               a full-time server for p1 on College of Computing
               machines.  There are security issues.  If this is 
               not feasible, you will given a copy of the server 
               code to run locally.
   
    */
}