With respect to the question about Java servlet development ... We use
JavaServer Pages / Java servlets for the two web sites that we maintain
(http://blackboard.duke.edu/ and http://cit.duke.edu/).  We use Apache web
server to handle all static (i.e., non-servlet) requests and Tomcat
servlet container to handle the servlet requests.  We use Struts
(http://struts.apache.org/) as our application framework.  Struts is an
open-source framework for building web applications and is particularly
helpful in developing applications in a Model-View-Controller
architecture.  Struts has a learning curve but there are some good
resources out there to help (cf.
http://wiki.apache.org/struts/StrutsResources).  I personally found
_Struts in Action_ and _Jakarta Struts Pocket Reference_ to be the most
useful.

We use ant as our build tool and, so far, just text editors like emacs and
vi for code development, though we're starting to look at IDE's like
Eclipse and NetBeans.  We use MySQL as a database for persistent storage.

--Jim
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Jim Coble
Senior Technology Specialist
Center for Instructional Technology
Email: [log in to unmask]
Voice: 919-660-5974  Fax: 919-660-5923
Box 90198, Duke University
Durham, NC 27708-0198
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