Presents your 
JAVA E-NEWSLETTER for July 17, 2003

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EXPLORE A WIKI FOR JAVA INFORMATION

The concept of a Wiki is hard to explain but easy to understand. The
creators of the original Wiki define it like this: "'Wiki' is a composition
system; it's a discussion medium; it's a repository; it's a mail system;
it's a tool for collaboration. Really, we don't know quite what it is,
but it's a fun way of communicating asynchronously across the network."

A Wiki is valuable because it allows you to read about and then provide
your own thoughts on a variety of topics. Wikis are also massively
linked. Therefore, you can't read just one Wiki. As you're reading, 
you'll inevitably be tempted to follow a link to another topic or to a 
definition, which will lead you to another topic, etc., ad nauseum.

Think of it as a community-maintained encyclopedia for all of your Java
questions. If you've ever wanted to know what other developers think
about a particular design pattern, or if you've ever wondered what the
differences are between a ValueObject and a BusinessObject, you'll find 
answers (or at least some opinions) on the Wiki.

Java enthusiasts will find a substantial amount of information on many
different Wikis out there. Whatever your Java proficiency is, you'll
benefit from exploring a Wiki.

Give it a try. If you've never visited a Wiki, then start on the Find
Page. Type in something you're interested in and dive in. Warning: Once 
you get started, it's hard to stop.
http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?FindPage

David Petersheim is a Senior Java Developer with Genscape, Inc. He
designs and develops server-side applications to acquire and process 
real-time energy data.

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