12 Replies Latest reply on Jul 7, 2003 12:40 PM by ejbnewbie

    frustration with "Getting Started"

    mquisto

      Am I the only one who cannot get through the "Getting Started" manual? I don't want to sink money into the paid documentation if it is like this.

        • 1. Re: frustration with "Getting Started"
          w_h_harper

          I, too, feel the frustration. I was able to get the example project deployed after editing files and file names in the build.properties and getting the less-than-latest xdoclet.

          But, the test-suite target does not exist in the build.xml (nor anything close). And, the run-client.bat seems to insist that the "test" class is deployed.

          With JavaOne approaching, I'm surprised that the documentation has not been tested.

          -bill

          • 2. Re: frustration with "Getting Started"
            fireball

            Where did you guys get this doc from?

            Cheers,
            Fireball

            • 3. Re: frustration with "Getting Started"
              mquisto

              There is a link at the bottom of the Downloads page to the Sourceforge files page.

              Good luck.

              • 4. Re: frustration with "Getting Started"
                w_h_harper

                From the jboss home page, click on the doco link on the right. Click on the free jboss 3.0 getting started link.

                http://jboss.org/index.html?module=html&op=userdisplay&id=docs/index#free-30x

                -bill

                • 5. Re: frustration with "Getting Started"

                  I downloaded the FREE 3.0 getting started file.
                  The good news is that it is a 180 page *.pdf file.
                  The bad news is that most of it is poor in it's
                  choice of subjects and poorly punctuated, which
                  makes critical reading much harder than it should be.
                  Note to the company fat cats: there's a reason
                  that most companies hire tech writers - very few
                  programmers can write well. And, even fewer
                  good programmers can write well.

                  • 6. Re: frustration with "Getting Started"
                    w_h_harper

                    I tried the Sourceforge link as well, but not much help.

                    JBoss runs, but the most basic instructions don't match the most basic distribution after fixing up the inevitable missing/mismatched jar file issues. Build and test targets in the documents *do not* match the release.

                    My intent in using jboss is my desire to have a legally re-distributable "j2ee.jar" for the Apache OJB persistence beast (http://db.apache.org/ojb/). The use of ojb will get me away from the minor inconveniences of using apache torque for my current open-source business application.

                    If JBoss works in the SME market, I'll contribute to the documentation or in some other manner. Otherwise, I'll advise that my customers invest in a commercial "express" product for the server solution.

                    I am a firm believer in open source, financially contribute to Mandrake, evangelize open source to my clients, and invest the time and skill to find the pieces. (Does anyone want any help with their enhydra app server?)

                    flame over,
                    -bill

                    • 7. Re: frustration with "Getting Started"
                      mquisto

                      Looks like my last post got removed. Note to the moderator: rather than censor honest messages why don't you ask some of the principals to read this forum? Then they would know that their intro docs suck and maybe they could fix the problem.

                      sorry to spoil the smiley face

                      • 8. Re: frustration with "Getting Started"
                        maddmike

                        ditto.....!!

                        The intro doc totally sucks. The pdf reads like it's the simplest thing there is but, the template hasn't been updated to match the latest version of JBoss.

                        • 9. Re: frustration with "Getting Started"
                          zyzgy

                          funny, i brought this up in february and now my complaint's been removed...

                          the way i see it is this: fine, don't give out good free documentation, BUT, at least provide enough (decent) up-to-date information to get the dang thing compiled and started...

                          i took a look at the pay-version book documentation at the store, but it loooks pretty much word-for-word, exactly the same as the "getting started" guide + more other vague documentation.

                          anyone know of any other free j2ee servers with good (free) documentation?

                          • 10. Re: frustration with "Getting Started"
                            eclaudius

                            I agree, I've got jboss running on my xp box but there are some warnings. The free documentation is written "inside out". If this software is to become widely used, the first thing we need is a bullet proof release that installs like a dream with documentation to match. Don't assume that there is a web admin around to figure out what all the warnings and messages mean.

                            Ideally, I should be able to install this thing easily meaning I don't have to twiddle with configuring environment variables and un/commenting lines in a conf file. There should be one straight line document explaining what is going on without all the details and tricks. You can sell all that in your books.

                            I need to be able to demonstrate that the basic functionality really works, ie (1) write an ejb (2) a servlet to test it (3) a jsp (4) create .war, .jar. , .ear files and deploy. Then we can talk about how to do transactions and security.

                            If you build it right, they will come.

                            EClaudius

                            • 11. Re: frustration with "Getting Started"
                              aanecito

                              WOW! I was thought to try the waters of JBOSS but sounds as if there may be more effort getting it to work then getting EJB to work (my original goal).

                              Sigh, looks as if developers got so busy on this application they forgot the importance of good documentation. Very typical but not excusable when releasing to so many people willing to stick thier neck out once (but not twice!).

                              So, perhaps someone can recommend a good format/structure of the documention so we can get this resolved? Maybe even point to a competitor's documentation as a template???

                              Remember, developers might live with poor documentation but operations (production) folk will not tolerate it and they have the ear of the CIO's of the world!

                              • 12. Re: frustration with "Getting Started"
                                ejbnewbie

                                i have a sample application running in Jboss3.2.1 with Oracle9i at the following link. hope it helps you

                                http://www.jboss.org/modules/bb/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&t= :)