I'm downloading Java EE, and there seems to be a ridiculous number of different download options. I'm not sure which one I should choose. Java EE seems to be packaged with GlassFish. Can anyone tell me what this is and what good it does me?
Secondly, if I'm looking just to play around and get to know Java EE, which is the download for me? The link that lists the options is below...
First of all, it's called Java EE since almost 5 years ago. The acronym J2EE still refers to the older Java EE versions prior to 5.0.
As to Glassfish, it's Oracle's concrete implementation of Java EE. The Java EE is namely an abstract API which everyone is free to implement. There are several Java EE implementations available, either full fledged implementations like Oracle Glassfish 3, JBoss AS 6, etc, or partial (only JSP/Servlet) implementations like Apache Tomcat 7, Eclipse Jetty 8, etc. Glassfish Web Profile is also a partial implementation.
If you intend to develop only with JSP/Servlet, then Glassfish Web Profile is sufficient. If you intend to develop with help of a Netbeans IDE, then pick the bundle with Netbeans. But instead of Netbeans you can also just choose Eclipse or IntelliJ as IDE.
First, as BalusC pointed out, you're using the wrong nomenclature. A lot of recruiting and other type companies still use J2EE in order to find candidates, because to them it is just a word, that has the same meaning to Java as .NET Framework does to C#, it doesn't mean Java Version 2 Enterprise Environment. It means experianced Java developer.
If you want to develop Java with an Integrated Development Environment (like Visual Studio) use Eclipse or NetBeans and have those install the environment for you. Otherwise if you are just going to use notepad because it is academic in nature (compiling a hello world example from your prof. using javac), you won't need any more than the bear minimum I'm sure. You won't need an application server or anything to do with JSP.
