READ THIS First! Mailing-list archive and good tips

[Wolfgang Stein <zo...@gmd-net.de>]

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------------ Before posting any questions ---------------

+ We welcome open discussion of Tomcat issues at both advanced
  and beginner levels of expertise. However, please be respectful
  of other people's time. Before posting questions, do your own
  reading and research. As the saying goes, "There are no stupid
  questions"... except the ones you could have answered by yourself!

  Before posting a question, perform the following steps.

+ Be familiar with servlets in general. See:
  http://java.sun.com/products/servlet/
  http://java.sun.com/products/jsp/

+ Read any of the several published books about servlets or JSP.

+ Read the Servlet API 2.2 Specification.

  Download a copy of the spec in PostScript or Acrobat PDF formats:
  http://java.sun.com/products/servlet/download.html#specs

  The spec is currently not available online; you must download a copy.
  You may obtain free Acrobat PDF reader software from:
  http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html
  
  Tomcat implements this spec, so think of it as one of Tomcat's
  manuals.

+ Read Tomcat's other documentation:
  http://jakarta.apache.org/tomcat/index.html

+ Study the Tomcat examples.

  First use the servlets found in the /examples context.
  Read their source code.

  Then try your own first servlets in the /examples context, and
  add an entry into /example/WEB-INF/web.xml

+ Search either of these two archives for past discussions.
  
  Contributed by Bob Tanner:
  http://archives.real-time.com/rte-tomcat/
  
  Contributed by Philip J. Mikal:
  http://mikal.org/interests/java/tomcat/index.html

  Search for short phrases, such as your server error messages.
  Search the archive again with better or different phrases.

  Many beginner questions have already been asked, so please
  make several attempts at finding your question in the archive.

+ Read the FAQ:
  http://jakarta.apache.org/jyve-faq/Turbine/screen/DisplayTopics/
  Click the Jakarta link.

+ Search the bug report facility
  http://znutar.cortexity.com:8888
  provided by Nick Bauman.

+ Read this mailing list regularly, not just when you have a problem.
  
+ Examine your error messages problems not directly related to Tomcat,
  such as CLASSPATH problems. Write, compile, and run a "Hello World"
  application to be sure your problem is related to servlets or Tomcat.
  
+ Ask an expert in your company, school class, or local Java users
  group.
  http://industry.java.sun.com/jug/

+ Do not treat this list as a dumping ground for your problems. Think of
  the list as a volunteer community of people engaging in respectful
  discussion.
 
================== THE MORAL OF THE STORY ====================
                    Help yourself first.
            Be responsible for your own learning.
               Try to solve your own problem.
       If you are still suffering, then post to this list.
==============================================================
        
+ Be aware: This mailing list may contain viruses.

  Don't trust anybody. If your are not absolutely sure, do not open
  any attachments. Do not read the postings with a JavaScript-enabled
  email client.

  Microsoft Windows users:
  Disable all stuff like ActiveScripting etc.
  in your mail reader.  Be careful with attachments,
  especially of type .exe .vbs or some virus attachments like
  "livestages.txt.shs".
  The .shs extension disappears/is not visible under Windows but
  represents an executable script which will execute when opened
  separately.

+ Other resources:
  - An archive of the mailing list for the developers building Tomcat
    discussing bugs, future releases, etc.
    http://www.metronet.com/~wjm/tomcat/
  
  - Sun's mailing list for general servlet information:
    Search its archive at:
    http://archives.java.sun.com/archives/servlet-interest.html
    Subscribe only, if you are willing to receive hundred messages
    per day!
       
  - Search DejaNews at http://www.deja.com/home_ps.shtml

  - Look at jGuru, JCentral etc.

  - Search the whole Web with a popular search engine.
    As a developer of server applications you should know
    all about it.  :-)
    You can find entire websites dedicated to Java servlets.
    Find the online versions of Java magazines with past articles
    on servlets and JSP.
   
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