To the authors: What's Missing...?

[David Hibbs]

OK, I've read through most of the missives in this forum asking about what's in the book, read the replies from the authors, and even scanned the sample chapter on the web.

My question for the authors, though, is somewhat different -- what do you feel is missing from the book? Are there some items available now which were not when you were writing the book that you wish could have been included? What subjects do you wish you had time to dive deeper into?

If you tell me nothing's missing, it better be a book over 1000pages.

[Brian Sam-Bodden]

David,
That's a good question. What's missing? Well, this being a process-goal oriented book (we didn't want to have a book that just spits out the online documentation) we cover the tools we found useful to do an end-to-end implementation (and along the way we did implement several facets of the application multiple ways using different open source projects).
So to answer the question here's what I would like to see in Volume 2 or in other similar books:

- Workflow
- Reports
- Business Rules Engines (and Business Rules Management Systems)
- More about building and C.I. (Maven, CruiseControl, AntHill)
- More choices for the presentation tier
- Clustering
- Distributed Caching

I would also to see a good book showing more asynchronous programming techniques in the enterprise (rather than the simple request, munge data, show data) applications.

Like I mentioned in a previous post, with the products that we were covering we quickly got to the 600 page ceiling. So maybe a Volume 2 would be an interesting premise.

My vision (Chris' might be different) is to do a book covering the topics above as an "Advanced J2EE on a Budged" or something along those lines. I still like the project-based book approach the best.

If you have any more suggestions besides the list above please post them so that we can get more ideas to shape a possible future project.

Thanks,
Brian

[Mel Riffe]

Ok Brian, I'm now already wanting a volume 2.

[Christopher Judd]

Couple other topics would include scheduling, scripting, integration and portals.

Also some more process related issues like developer colaboration, requirements management and change management using open source. Maybe a little GForge.

[Christopher Judd]

We are also missing profiling and load testing. I have yet to find open source load tester that are of the same quality of OptimizeIt, JProbe or ServerTrace. If you know of any please share.

[Christopher Judd]

This topic is such an overwhelming topic because there are so many great projects and it always changing. I bet if Brian and I were to start writing this book today, it would be a completely different book. Just because we are aware of new and different projects then we were then. For example, Spring was not even on our radar then but is a critical part of what I do on a daily bases now.

[Christopher Judd]

I'm now already wanting a volume 2.

Brian, we need to talk to our editor. They want more.

[Dane Frazier]

OK,

One thing that seems to really eat up my time when I test out a new open-source tool, utility or server component that is missing from every book...

Common pitfalls and errors. I hate to say it but nothing ever seems to work "just like the example" which is why I seem have a closet full of books on the same topics where one does a great job here, the other there.

For instance, Struts is a great tool, and like a good pair of brown shoes, goes with about everything in the closet... it works well with what I've done in the past. However, in the learning curve I got beat up, or had to repeatedly charge the block wall to hammer out a couple problems.

However, common errors - it's also part of the magic number - your 600 page threshold - where it'd take another chapter or two to run through various error scenarios from configuration to runtime...

Cheers

[David Hibbs]

Originally posted by Christopher Judd:
Maybe a little GForge.

Wow, that's cool! I hadn't found that one yet! Thanks!

[Axel Janssen]

Originally posted by Christopher Judd:


Brian, we need to talk to our editor. They want more.

Me too.
I am nearly finished with the old one and although I allready knew some of the stuff, it is a good read and I am around page 600.

Its like an introduction in some of the best open source options one has in the different layers of a J2EE app. It doesn't delve too deep in the presented technologies, but this might be good to keep book concise. I very apreciate that the 1000+ pages madness has stoped and computer books now have 400-600 pages. Anyway book has lots of example code and instructions to set-up JBoss or configure hibernate (for example).
If one needs to dig deeper, he can search for tutorials, post on forums or buy more specific-technology-focussed book.

The topics you mentioned sound interesting, so I'ld buy version 2.

Axel
[ November 04, 2004: Message edited by: Axel Janssen ]

[David Hibbs]

Originally posted by Christopher Judd:
This topic is such an overwhelming topic because there are so many great projects and it always changing.

That's exactly why I asked the question! =)
Book cycles being what they are, it's hard to tell what could have made it in and what could not have possibly done so.

As to your question of load and performance testing, I know many people swear by JMeter. Granted, I know what you mean about it comparing to commercial products!

On the other hand, check out OpenSTA. I haven't had a chance to investigate it much myself, but I know that American General Insurance uses it and is very happy with it.