LOGIN | REGISTER NOW | SUBSCRIBE
 
print Printable version 
Most Read Latest News Blog Resources
CouchDB brings peer-based data replication
This NoSQL database is now production ready for developers who want to spread data out wit...
Experts: UML is active, but the buzz is lost
Since widespread acceptance, there is little enthusiasm around the language even ahead of ...
Compuware intros new GUI for mainframe tools
Beyond the GUI are plug-ins for data and debugging tools, as well as an OEM edition of Sli...
Black Hat conference fields suggestions for software security
Attendees give a wide variety of ideas about the subject, with Rex Black adding in some of...
Digg!  Digg
Reddit  Reddit
Slashdot  Slashdot
Share on facebook  Facebook
Share on Twitter  Twitter


            iphoneapp GET THE APP!

Java 2009: The language moves to the platform


By Alex Handy
December 29, 2009 —  (Page 1 of 2)
Any discussion of Java in 2009 must begin with acquisitions. Between the now-stalled grab for Sun made by Oracle, and VMware's unexpected purchase of SpringSource, two of the most influential companies in Java are now parts of larger entities. It was a year of change not just for Java, but also for the people who work with and maintain the language.

The real question behind these acquisitions is which company is more important to Java. Traditionally, Sun has been the big company on the hill watching over the village of Java. But in more recent years, SpringSource's Spring Framework, along with the company's acquisition of Covalent (the largest service and support group for the Apache HTTP Server and Apache Tomcat), had placed Rod Johnson's company at the forefront of Java. With VMware now controlling those aspects of the SpringSource business, and the Eclipse Foundation continuing to expand the scope of its hosted projects, the future center of gravity for Java may no longer be at Sun.

Meanwhile, IBM, instead of growing its Java business through acquisition, decided to grow it through open source. IBM continued to offer its own version of the Apache Geronimo project as WebSphere Community Edition. The company also began using Apache Harmony libraries and components in commercial products, a sure sign that the world's oldest computing company is confident in Harmony despite Sun's refusal to make available the verification and certification tools that could give the Java runtime an official stamp of approval.

SUBHED: Other big changes
It is perhaps appropriate that this is also the year when a fundamental change to the structure of Java was announced: closures. Mark Reinhold, principal engineer at Sun and member of the OpenJDK guidance committee, said that closures will make their first appearance in a preliminary form when the OpenJDK, Java SE 7, arrives next fall.

Reinhold has said that this is a move that comes from his LISPy upbringing, and it will bring the language more in line with the advanced programming ideas embodied in that and other LISP-like languages.

 Related Search Term(s): Java

Pages 1 2 


Share this link: http://www.sdtimes.com/link/34019
 

Add comment


Name*
Email*  
Country     


  • Comment
  • Preview
Loading



 
 
 
 
News on Monday
more>>
SharePoint Tech Report
more>>


   

 
 
Download Current Issue
ISSUE 8/1/2010 PDF

Need Back Issues?
DOWNLOAD HERE

Receive the print Edition?


 
blogs tab
Like Ruby n' Rails
Programming languages and Web frameworks go together like peas n carrots. Or Ruby n' Rails.
07/30/2010 04:36 PM EST

Adobe buys a Web-based IDE
Adobe looks to buy a rapid and agile Web development environment.
07/28/2010 03:49 PM EST

OpenStack opens up
OpenStack looks to be an intriguing new idea for running clouds.
07/28/2010 01:56 PM EST

 

Events calendar tab
SHARE
8/1/2010 to 8/5/2010
Boston
SHARE

VSLive
8/2/2010 to 8/6/2010
Redmond, Wash.
1105 Media

Agile 2010
8/9/2010 to 8/13/2010
Orlando
Agile Alliance

Delphi Live
8/23/2010 to 8/26/2010
San Jose
S&S Media

VMworld
8/30/2010 to 9/2/2010
San Francisco
VMware