Java help

[damontgo]

Hey, I'm using Dr. Java in my intro to programming class at IU. We need to write this class (in the attached file) not using 'if' statements. I think i need to use the boolean operators ! && || to accomplish this. From what i've read, however, this will only output results of True or False. I need to be able to check the value of my String message (current code also attached) to see if its null, then output 1 of 2 statements based on its being true or false. If anyone can help me please, i would be very grateful.

[aym]

Is it OK to use the ?: operator?

return message == null ?
    "there's no message here" : "there's one message waiting for pickup";

The only way I can come up with using conditional operators is quite complicated, and I doubt this is what they want.

[faulkner132]

Don't mess with nulls if you don't have to. Make your default message an empty string ("") and use a switch statement to do the comparisons.