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Date: Thu, 08 Dec 2005 19:09:52 -0700
From: Jeff Genender <jgenender@apache.org>
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To: dev@geronimo.apache.org
Subject: Re: Does there need to be a default web container?
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Erin Mulder wrote:
> Jeff Genender wrote:
>> So you think your average Geronimo user will have no idea what a web
>> container is?
> 
> It's possible.

I asked "average" user...not whether its possible.  The average user 
will probably be a developer...who has done some degree of background on 
the technologies.  I would hazard to guess there are few people who use 
BEA or Websphere and have absolutely no idea what a web container is.

The developer will likely know what it is.  I have a hard time with 
equating someone's clickety-click Mom with our average user...its 
ridicules, which was really what my previous response was directed towards.

> 
> There are a lot of experienced J2EE developers out there who have only
> ever used full commercial stacks.  Asking them to choose between two web
> containers is like asking them to choose EJB, MQ and Web Service
> implementations.  They may pick Tomcat because they vaguely recognize
> the name, but having to make that choice will add anxiety to their
> install experience.

I am sorry but I cannot agree here.  I cannot believe there are many 
"experienced" *J2EE* developers who have no idea what a web container 
is.  That is preposterous.  Are there some?  Sure - but I would say very 
few.  However, in servlet 101...of which many of these un-knowledgable 
users would go, surely a mention of a web container, what it is, and 
what they can use (including books, articles, internet), they should 
have a minimal understanding of web containers.

> 
> Geronimo is also likely to become popular in academic settings (both
> classroom and self-study) where people will need to install the server
> before they get around to learning what a web container is.

The academic component is such a small microcosm in the grand scheme of 
users, this not even a reason to think its has a major effect of the 
overall user-base.  We should push the direction of Geronimo towards 
what the community wants.  If the community wants Jetty, give it to 
them. If they want Tomcat, then let them have this.  Let the community 
decide.

> 
> Cheers,
> Erin