JSP Books

[Steve Stanicki]

I have noticed at Amazon and pretty much everywhere else, that most of the books on JSP/Servlets (excepting Head First), are at least 3,4 or maybe 5 years old. Why isn't anything else up to date?

Should we move on to PHP?

Steve

[Bear Bibeault]

Originally posted by Steve Stanicki:

Should we move on to PHP?

How could moving to a lesser technology be moving on?

JSP has actually gone through a major revolution with JSP 2.0, but book publishers seem to be focused on sexy new technology like Ajax.

There's a great dearth in the book market with regards to information on JSP 2.0, and more importantly, how to use it effectively and break free from the bad habits developed during the reign of JSP 1.x.
[ February 05, 2007: Message edited by: Bear Bibeault ]

[Steve Stanicki]

Thanks Bear,
I thought I was missing something. I want to focus on Java technologies, and I am interested in web programming. So naturally I want the latest as I am just starting out.

Regards,
Steve

[Bear Bibeault]

Then with regards to JSP, I'd recommend that you focus on JSP 2.0, with particular attention to structuring your apps using a good MVC design and writing scriptless pages (no scriplets or scriplet expressions) with the JSTL and EL.

Pay attention in the JSP forum, and read the JSP-centric articles in the JavaRanch Journal.

[Pj Murray]

Originally posted by Steve Stanicki:
I have noticed at Amazon and pretty much everywhere else, that most of the books on JSP/Servlets (excepting Head First), are at least 3,4 or maybe 5 years old. Why isn't anything else up to date?

Should we move on to PHP?

Steve

The age of the books only indicated the technology maturity.

If you want to move on to the next big thing, then you need to look at AJAX not PHP.

[Bear Bibeault]

Originally posted by PJ Murray:

If you want to move on to the next big thing, then you need to look at AJAX not PHP.

While Ajax is a current "hot" technology, and very useful when used correctly, it's most certainly not a competing technology to JSP or PHP. In fact, Ajax in combination with server-side templating (via either JSP or PHP) is a match made in heaven.