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IBM describes free Web services starter kit

• By Scott Adams
• March 31, 2003

Like other firms, IBM is constantly refining its developer support programs. For the folks at IBM's developerWorks.com site these days, this means improving access to its trove of Web services information and easing the path to uptake on WebSphere application server software for developers.

In preparation for its yearly developerWorks Live! programmer fest -- held this year from April 9-12 in New Orleans -- IBM has disclosed some new details on its Speed-Start Web services resource for developers.

Free resources include online education, a hands-on lab and lecture series, and a 24-hour technical forum where IBM experts answer questions. Included in the program are "try-and-buy" versions of the evaluation code for WebSphere Studio Application Developer V.5 for Windows (60-day trial), WebSphere Application Server V5.0 for Windows (180-day trial) and other IBM software.

"We have step-by-step tutorials that take you through XML and SOAP, and a lot of other common protocols," said Kathy Mandelstein, program director, development relations, IBM.

IBM also has created a new developerWorks Toolbox subscription, with single-user development licensing starting at $399. Developers can chose from three subscription levels -- Starter, Professional and Enterprise -- Mandelstein said.

"Licensing has changed so that WebSphere tools at each level [of support] are full versions for development and test," she noted.

Community feedback is very important to us, said Mandelstein, who added that IBM's interactive rating system has established that Web services-related tutorials are among the site's most popular pages.

Links:

For more on IBM's developerWorks site, please go to http://www.ibm.com/developerworks

For other Programmers Report articles, please go to http://www.adtmag.com/article.asp?id=6265