Slashdot Mirror
JBoss to Apply for Official J2EE Certification
Jonboy X writes "CNet has an article detailing the resolution of a long-standing feud between open-source J2EE server vendor JBoss and Sun. It seems they've decided to break down and shell out the clams to be certified by Sun. Quoth Bob Bickel, JBoss's vice president of corporate development and strategy: 'Our core base of developers, a lot of them say they don't give a damn...But the reality is that a lot of big companies who are using this are moving into production.' JBoss gives away its server software and survives on support contracts."
It's simple Jboss is an open source implementation of the J2EE Specification.
Done, without using "business logic".
Of course, you're no further along than when I started.
So What's J2EE you ask, Well That's where it gets more complex. J2EE is a large thing, but it basically runs down to this.
1. Have Client code that knows how to display the data (Either a webpage or a client application, etc)
2. Have a middle tier system that provides the ability to do things (basically it's a bunch of methods and objects that a client can use, no matter the client) This is where the work is done, like calculations, rules like "You have to have a PO on file in recieving before you can have something shipped here", and other things. That way you can change the rules and calculations without having to update the client, and so all clients use the same rules and calculations. - JBoss does this job.
3. A backend Data Store, (Normally an RDBMS) this stores data for the Middle Tier to use.
Basically it provides for sepirating Presentation, Logic, and Data (come on, I said logic, not "business logic", it's close enough right?)
4. Profit - wait how'd that get in there?
J2EE is quite different from the kind of Java that runs on your desktop (so-called J2SE - Java 2 Standard Edition) in that it contains a huge set of additional libraries and specifications, both for those writing the J2EE container, and for those writing the software components. This way, both sides - container and components - can make strong assumptions about each other. Because of this, and since the component is running "inside" the container, the container can provide a lot of services (read: "magically available features") to the components, much more easily than if the component writer had to call and coordinate several libraries.
These features include:
- clustering and failover
- transactions that span more than one database, or include systems other than databases (so you can't just use database transactions)
- a standard way to connect to mainframes and ERP software (JCA)
- saving your objects to database tables, including cluster-safe caching
- connecting to secure message queues
- interfacing with directory services (ldap, active directory etc.)
- etc. etc.
If you really need more than one of the above, maybe you should take a closer look at J2EE. If not, don't bother - J2EE is very large, and takes a considerable effort to learn well.Stupidity is mis-underestimated.
If you don't understand what this is worth, you really haven't had to try and fight with people in the company who have the power to say "No, we will not use JBoss in production."
People are pushing hard for JBoss. The answer, from the people who have the power to say no, has always been "It's not proven."
Those people NEED things like official certifications to believe in products. They need it more than a list of who is using it where. And they will pay millions of dollars for a product that gives them these assurances..
best web host ever
If you look at IBM's involvement in the Java Community Process for J2SE and J2EE you'll see there are over 20 IBM-led efforts under the umbrella of a process that is managed by Sun.
Sun may not have product to capitalize on Java, but as a steward of the standard, the company is still in a uniquely powerful position.