Beginners' FAQ Ideas

What should be included in an FAQ that could be associated with the beginners' forum?

Everything related to Classpaths .
What is a JVM, JRE, JDK, SDK etc.
What is the JLS, JVM Spec etc.
What is a plug-in.
How to edit a string for numeric.
The difference between import and include (c++).
What is JNI.
The difference between a field (member variable) and a local variable and a static variable.
What is polymorphism.
What is encapsulation.
What is inheritance.
What is overloading.
What is overriding.
What is an interface.
What is an abstract class.
etc. etc.

I don't really call myself a beginner anymore, but I still don't understand the answer to this one:
> What is a JVM, JRE, JDK, SDK etc.
or more specifically, what the differences are among these things.

For college students:
How to ask questions so that it isn't obvious that you didn't start on your program early.
I.e.:
11/25/2002 11:00am- I need help right away on this program!
11/25/2002 11:05am- Please!!! Anybody!? Will no one help me! I have until midnight!
[ November 25, 2002: Message edited by: David Duran ]

Three come to mind:
1) How to compile classes in a package hierarchy!
2) How to create subject lines for posts so that they are meaningful and useful. E.g. avoid the word "urgent", avoid naming every single post "Simple question", and so on.
3) How to use the CODE UBB tags in posts, and what information to include when posting (e.g. "I get an error" and "It doesn't work" aren't sufficient to describe the problem).
hth,
bear

How to handle exceptions properly.

The difference between and exception and an error.
How to get input from the console.
How to start another program (like notepad.exe) using Java.
What is a main method.
Starting an application using a .bat/.sh file.

Like the previous answers. How about...
How to format numbers in Java
The difference between abstract and interface.
How to handle basic events.
The differences between the applet and object tags.
Links to basic HTML tutorials.

Originally posted by Cindy Glass:
Everything related to Classpaths .
What is a JVM, JRE, JDK, SDK etc.
What is the JLS, JVM Spec etc.
What is a plug-in.
How to edit a string for numeric.
The difference between import and include (c++).
What is JNI.
The difference between a field (member variable) and a local variable and a static variable.
What is polymorphism.
What is encapsulation.
What is inheritance.
What is overloading.
What is overriding.
What is an interface.
What is an abstract class.
etc. etc.

Sounds like the Table of Contents for the Java Tutorial.

very cool idea..
i wish, this FAQ had been written at the times I was a novice

Originally posted by Dirk Schreckmann:
What should be included in an FAQ that could be associated with the beginners' forum?

Along with explaing what an interface is, you should explain WHY they are useful in an OO design.

Dirk,
Posting as broad of a question as possible...hmmm?!?
I think everyone has some great feedback, but I think David is on the right track. In other words, are you looking to develop a guidelines FAQ for how to navigate around the Ranch, how to search for items, the proper protocol for posting questions, etc.? Or, are you really looking to develop a primer for what should one study and in what order for the beginners forum? Sorry Dirk for asking more questions (remember me from the RegEx tutorial? )
Share with us!
Janet

All of the above sounds very good to me. With some luck, we'll discover what develops on a JavaRanch Wiki.