Java's Future – The State of the State
By Gil Estes, President - BGE Software, Inc.
Write it once + run it anywhere == Java. No other platform can make that claim. Having developed several successful Java applications that run on Windows, Linux and Mac OS X platforms, I attest to this portability. My job is to find the right solution for my client’s business challenges. The right solution involves not only cost of development, but versatility and maintainability down the road. As a software consultant, I use Java to provide cross-platform solutions that save clients money and time in development, producing stronger, more versatile products that are maintainable and that run in a variety of environments.
Today, the Java platform has expanded well beyond the traditional stand-alone application implementation. Java allows for rapid development of web-based applications that are capable of tasks from simple web site data gathering to remote document editing and database manipulation. The Java Message Service (JMS) provides a common interface to the standard messaging protocols. The Swing toolkit offers a rich user interface with all the bells and whistles. Java implements wireless implementations on a wide variety of devices, from cell phones to pagers to PDAs. EJBs and JDBC provide robust database support. It seems that everywhere you look there are Java enabled devices with Java applications running smoothly.
The FUD Factor
Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. Microsoft is touting .NET as the way of the future, insinuating that Java is dead. Don’t believe it. Keep in mind that the automobile was once considered by many to be just a passing fad. Steve Jobs was told that small, home-based computers had no place, that they had no future.
The truth is Java has matured well beyond what early critics and even proponents thought possible. The flexibility and adaptability of Java keep it lean and agile. The open source community has embraced Java and is continually taking it further by providing an array of third party components for data presentation, manipulation and reporting.
Perhaps the most telling indicator of the future of Java occurred this year at SunOne. Automobile manufacturer BMW introduced a car equipped with a Java-powered in-dash computer to control navigation, air conditioning, entertainment and other functions. With aircraft already having the “glass” cockpit concept, is it any surprise that automobiles are now benefiting from this technology? As automobiles and computers become ever more integrated, I certainly don't want mine to come up with a “blue screen” while traveling at 65 mph down the highway.
Java is not dead but is very much alive and growing. While the world of software development is continually changing and evolving, Java continues doing what it has always done: embrace change and adapt to new challenges. I am confident enough in the future of Java that I have placed the future of my consulting firm on the line with Java being the backbone.
Copyright © 2005 BGE Software, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|