WOW! Ridiculously confused about all this server stuff!
I'm learning Java web programming (JSP, servlets, EJB, etc), and am not sure which server to use. The most common thing I've stumbled across is the Apache Web Server and Tomcat combo, to handle both HTTP, JSP requests, EJB, etc.
I'm just wondering what my other free options are, but so far, I've only been very confused in my research. I looked at www.serverwatch.com/stypes and there's so many different free servers...wow!
According to their categories, am I looking for a Web Server, an Application Server, or an Operating System Server (or some combination)? Also, if I'd like to use email on my website (send outgoing mail using Java), do I also need to look at Email Servers?
It's so confusing! Wow! Can you also tell me a bit about the Operating System Servers? Why is something like Windows XP Home not on that dropdown list? I can serve my site right now using Apache/Tomcat on my Windows XP Home OS. While I completely understand that nobody would obviously want to use XP Home for a real server, I ask this question because I'm not sure what the requirements for an OS to be an OS Server are.
I was under the impression that when you use Java, the Java Virtual Machine becomes like your Operating System. Because it functions on so many different Operating Systems, you program your site to work under the JVM, and then you can basically transport it from one OS to another, as long as that OS has a JVM...is this reasoning wrong?
So is the choice of OS for me essentially pointless...could I essentially pick Windows Server 2003 or Red Hat Linux without any difference to the work I need to do for my site? Could I potentially use XP Home? (I wouldn't want to, but I ask because I think the answer will clarify things.)
I know there are a lot of questions in this post buried throughout my frustrated comments, but if you could answer them as detailed as possible, I'd really appreciate it. There's lots of online resources about this kind of stuff, but they've all confused me to no end to the point where I need a few smart ppl like y'all to tell it to me in plain English.
Thanks so much.
