This is a big story. WebSphere is the "[flagship]" "[application server]" [http://www-4.ibm.com/software/webservers/appserv/] from [COMPANY: IBM]. What that means in the year 2001 is a Web server, with a method for active content, plus convenience functions for database access, and at least lip service to load-leveling, security, and so on. In fact, as of 2002, it's evident IBM is promoting "WebSphere" as one of its top two or three brands; that means, among other things, that the rubric has lost almost all technical content. Because it's IBM, WebSphere uses Java for as much as possible, and prefixes all descriptions with "e-commerce". The technical basis is * the IBM version of [Apache], * [DB2], and * WebSphere proper, which wraps the others. As one too-wise correspondent justly noted, "You need to be a DBA, Apache Administrator and a JAVA guru to do a clean install." [[Explain Tcl connection and controversy.]] WebSphere documentation [http://www-4.ibm.com/software/webservers/appserv/infocenter.html] is readable--with a fast connection and Internet Explorer with Java enabled. developerWorks published a WebSphere tutorial [http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/nlredirects/r-wshello.html?n-dd-272]. Tcl enters through [WSCP]. ---- Other WebSphere acronyms of possible pertinence: * WAS: WebSphere Application Server [http://www-4.ibm.com/software/webservers/appserv/] (a no-charge version is available as WAS 4.0 Advanced Edition Single Server) * WCS: WebSphere Commerce Suite * WES: WebSphere Enterprise Suite * WPS: WebSphere Portal Server ---- WAS 5 APPLICATION SERVER UPDATE. -------------------------------- The WebSphere Application Server '''wsadmin''' tool provides the ability to execute scripts. You can use the wsadmin tool to manage a WebSphere Application Server V5.0 installation. This tool uses the Bean Scripting Framework (BSF), which supports a variety of scripting languages to configure and control your WebSphere Application Server installation. The WebSphere Application Server only supports the '''Jacl''' and Jython scripting languages. The wsadmin launcher makes Java objects available through language-specific interfaces. Scripts use these objects for application management, configuration, operational control, and for communication with MBeans running in WebSphere server processes. Patrick Finnegan 05/04/2005.