Don't be overwhelmed with programming gobbledygook. This book is the definitive guided tour through learning how to develop applications using WebSphere Studio and JavaBeans, with a clear and understandable explanation of XML and database programming. In the simplest way possible, you'll learn reusable concepts, not just product. Along the way, you'll learn the basics of how to develop Java applets and applications, as well as more advanced topics, such as using relational databases and eXtensible Markup Language (XML) documents to store your application data. By the end of the tour, you'll be able to use WebSphere Studio to build your own applications, and you'll understand why JavaBeans are so useful for application programming. This book assumes you have some basic knowledge of the Java programming language, but you certainly don't need to be an expert to follow the tour. You do need to be running one of the Windows operating systems, and as long as you're comfortable with Windows, the Internet, and Web browsers, you're ready to learn Java. Experts will benefit from the tour, because it will teach you many of the WebSphere Studio features that will let you build your Java applications easier and faster. This book uses the "show and tell" approach. If you flip through the pages, you'll notice that they are loaded with pictures showing how your applications should look at each step along the way. In addition, we've included two CDs that contain all the tools you'll need to follow along with the lessons. CD contents: IBM DB2 UDB Personal Edition V8.1 - This relational database engine leads the industry, delivering Web-ready and multimedia data management. WebSphere Studio providescomplete integration with DB2, via its -DB beans for database access. Solution Files - In the /solutions directory on CD2, you'll find subdirectories for each chapter. When you complete this book, you will know how to use WebSphere Studio and JavaBeans to easily create applicationsCode in eXtensible Markup Language (XML), use databases with your applications, build applications more efficiently and productively, create applets, and use Swing components and layout managers.