While the capabilities of Apache Web Server and PHP are almost limitless, there are many advantages to developing web applications in Java. The power and portability of the Java Virtual Machine is being used more and more to its seemingly unlimited potential every year. The J2EE APIs provide an enormous amount of useful, reusable code, and the increasing prevalence of Servlets and Servlet Frameworks such as Struts all provide ample reason for a software developer to explore the capabilities of Java on the Web.

To that end, the simplest way to utilize Java in a Web application is through the use of Servlets and Java Server Pages. These both require the installation of a Servlet container that provides a bridge or translation layer between the raw HTTP request and the server-side processing in Java. These Servlet containers come in various forms, but the easiest to get started for the beginner is the Apache Foundation's open-source Tomcat servlet container. Installing it on the Mac OS X platform could not be easier.

As difficult as it is to get excited about a hard drive, the Western Digital My Book Home Edition has performed well enough for me over the past 5 months, that I have accumulated 3 of them: 2 of the 500GB flavors and a 1TB monster-in-disguise. Both models have identical physical dimensions and appearance and thus look rather nice flashing ominously as the three wise men standing watch over my Mac Mini. I use one of the 500GB models as a bootable, external hard drive that has been used to boot an aluminum iMac(2008), MacBook Pro(2006), and Mac Mini(2009). The other 500GB drive is used as storage for an iTunes Music Folder. It currently contains approximately 110GB of music files for iTunes to work with. Finally, the 1TB drive is used as a multipurpose, lab experiment drive. I have beaten it up pretty bad repartitioning, reformatting, and in general treating it like a late 90's floppy disk dug out of the trash. They have all held up brilliantly.

The Benefits of Certification

The fields that encompass IT and Software Development are placing an increasing weight on professional development and continuing education. The fields are constantly changing, and professionals who are working on the cutting edge can too quickly and easily find themselves with knowledge that has become outdated. As a result, staying current with the state of the art should always be a high priority. To that end, professional certification can play a significant role. While passing a test does not automatically grant "expert" status, it can help distinguish you from your peers in the profession. More importantly, however, the amount you can learn simply by studying and preparing for a certification exam can be tremendous.

The Apple Certified Support Professional is designed for help desk and support professionals who are tasked to provide assistance to basic end users of the operating system. The exam Mac OS X Support Essentials v10.5 (9L0-402) is also the first of many tests required for several more difficult, more specialized OS X certifications: Apple Certified Technical Coordinator or Apple Certified System Administrator, for example. The ACSP certification is designed to verify a basic or essential understanding of the core aspects of Mac OS X.

Whether you are a seasoned OS X veteran or brand new to the operating system, Mac OS X Support Essentials is a wonderful book to use as both a learning and reference tool to help you learn more about the capabilities and inner workings of Mac OS X.

Having read this book cover-to-cover twice now, the first time as a guide through the new features of Leopard, the second as a study guide in preparation for the Apple Certified Support Professional exam, I can say that this book has been extremely valuable in my explorations of Mac OS X. What follows below explains how this book can help a user of any ability level learn more about the Leopard (OS X 10.5) operating system. I have focused on both the novice and professional levels.