Well, I know enough Java to be dangerous -- I have yet to write a JSP (don't want to) or a servlet (but I have written a Palm Sync Conduit and many java stored procedures)....

iFS doesn't require Java, it is a file system. You don't need to program it further. Many of the examples you see are in the building of more sophisiticated front ends -- user interfaces. The "language of choice" for many in that area (for better or worse) is Java. Can you use PLSQL -- sure, php -- yes, python - certainly, asp -- if you want to.

In 9iR2 -- iFS comes with "Oracle files" -- a front end that gives you out of the box functionality -- if you like it, no programming even to get a "front end".

Now, for the WAP access, there is some complexity there but it should be 100% in the setup, configuration and getting the first page going on the wireless device. After that -- it is preetty easy. It is sort of like getting your first PLSQL "mod_plsql aka owa" page going. I remember it taking more then a minute or two to fully understand how the URL got turned into a stored procedure call and that procedure would generate a html page that would go back to a browser. Once I learned it -- it was "trivial". Before I learned it -- it was black magic.

I don't think you are way behind everybody else -- we all have different skill sets. Hey -- tons of people are doing "off the shelf apps" implementations. I haven't done a full one myself. Am I behind? In apps implementations maybe -- but not in the area that I need to be. I still learn something new each and every day and the technology is a moving target. By waiting some things out -- I got to skip "learning" them all together ;) You learn what you need to know.