by Joe Carpenter
Keeping on top of resources for something that changes as rapidly as the Java world is a daunting task, to say the least. As a result, any listing of Java resources is going to be obsolete before it's completed.
Rather than providing a comprehensive listing of every site that mentions Java (Digital's AltaVista Web search engine returns more than 200,000 hits on the word "java"), this list is intended to provide information on a few of the ever-expanding number of Java Web sites as well as data on good places to look for more Web sites. So, these sites are by no means the totality of what's out there--they're just a starting point for you to begin your Java reference bookmark lists. They're in no particular order, and they have no other qualification beyond the fact that I think that Java programmers of all levels will find them useful in some way.
Because one of Java's main strengths lies in its ability to embed applets into Web pages, it's a natural that the Web is an excellent source of information for Java development. These Web sites provide a great deal of information, from API calls to the latest news in the world of Java. They're an invaluable resource for any level of Java programmer.
This is probably the best place to start when looking for Java resources. It's the home of JavaSoft, the company spin-off of Sun Microsystems for handling its Java operations. Here you will find extensive documentation on the Java API, the JDK, and the Java language itself. You can download the latest versions of the JDK and other Java-related tools. Anyone serious about programming in Java should explore this site fully and return frequently.
Gamelan (pronounced "gamma-lahn") is the granddaddy of all Java resource sites. It has a huge listing of just about anything available on the Web for Java. From its extensive applet collection to its listing of other outside Java resources, Gamelan is a great place to start browsing to see what other Java programmers are up to.
URL: http://www.jars.com/
The main focus of JARS is to provide ratings for Java applets that are available on the World Wide Web. Each applet is reviewed by a panel of independent judges who base the rating on a set of criteria. If an applet achieves specified totals for its rating, distinction may be recognized by the following JARS awards:
In addition, applets with publicly available source code are further acknowledged, and a link to the source is provided when possible.
This is a great site for checking out other programmers' applets, and seeing how yours stacks up against the rest of the world.
URL: http://www.javology.com/javology
Javology is a slick online magazine that covers the current events taking place in the Java world. With articles about breaking news, interviews with the movers and shakers in the Java community, and other up-to-date information about what's happening with Java, Javology helps people who are interested in Java stay on top of what's going on.
Team Java is intended to assist Java consultants by providing information regarding available jobs, news, educational materials, and other useful Java resources. Team Java also has an applet-of-the-day service, called "Java the Hut." Overall, this site is very useful for people who use, or plan to use, Java in a professional environment. Even weekend Java warriors will find this site useful.
UseNet newsgroups can be a great source of information. They can also be a major pain when people stop being helpful and start arguing about whatever they feel like arguing about. If you're familiar with UseNet, and feel comfortable using it, these newsgroups are a valuable asset. If you're not familiar with UseNet news, it's best to just observe for awhile, get a feel for the system, stay out of flame wars, and read the FAQ before starting to post.
With that said, there are currently two UseNet newsgroups on Java worth mentioning:
TIP: Be aware that not all news servers make the alt. hierarchy of newsgroups available to their subscribers. If you're having trouble locating it, contact your news administrator.
In addition to the mailing list administered by Java-SIG and run by various smaller groups, a few lists are run out of Sun.
The address for the list is:
NOTE: This is an extremely high-traffic group, with more than 20,000 subscribers and dozens of posts every day. The list isn't moderated, so this isn't a place for you if you're easily overwhelmed.
You can subscribe to the list by sending the words subscribe java-interest in the body of your message to:
All of the traffic on the Sun lists is gated to comp.lang.java, so there's no need to read both the mailing list and the newsgroup. For more information about Sun's mailing lists, take a look at:
Sun makes Java training available to its customers and the general public. The courses vary in length, cost, and quality. More information can be found at:
Java-SIG holds classes on Java and other topics at its "SUG Lab" facilities in Boston, MA. The classes are small--limited to 12 students per session--and hands-on. Students are provided with their own workstations. For more information about SUGLabs, contact the Sun User Group at office@sug.org or call (617)787-2301.
Java is a popular language, and there are a lot of people doing their level best to see that it becomes a truly universal one by porting it to as many platforms as possible. The following listing tells where to connect with some of the porters.
Mattias Johansson (matj@o.lst.se) in Sweden runs Porting Java to Amiga, or P'Jami.
There are three e-mail lists:
amiga-hotjava-dev@mail.iMNet.de This is a closed list. Participants must be approved by the list administrator.
amiga-hotjava@mail.iMNet.de This is an open mailing list for the exchange of information. To subscribe, send the words subscribe amiga-hotjava in the body of your message to: mafordom@mail.iMNet.de
amiga-hotjava-announce@mail.iMNet.de This last list broadcasts announcements of Amiga ports. To subscribe, send the words subscribe amiga-hotjava-announce in the body of a message to:
This section covers patches and information about a DEC Alpha port. The Web page is maintained by Greg Stiehl.
Web site: http://www.NetJunkies.Com/Java/osf1-port.html
E-mail: stiehl@NetJunkies.com
Linux is the free, IBM-compatible version of UNIX. Karl Asha (karl@blackdown.com) maintains several resources for people who are interested in porting and using Java and HotJava with Linux.
The Web site is found at:
http://www.blackdown.org/java-linux.html
There are two mailing lists for Linux issues: java-linux and java-linux-announce. The first is a discussion list, and the second is a broadcast list.
The address for the mailing list is: java-linux@java.blackdown.org
To subscribe to this list, send the word subscribe in the subject line of a message to: java-linux-request@java.blackdown.org
or
java-linux-announce-request@java.blackdown.org
An anonymous FTP distribution of the Linux Java port is available from:
Bill Bumgarner (bbum@friday.com) maintains an open mailing list for the discussion of porting and integration esoterica that are unique to the NeXT platform.
To subscribe, send the word subscribe in the body of a message to:
The address to mail to the list is: