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The "Return" of Java Discussed

An anonymous reader writes "Following on from the marvelous recent James Gosling interview highlighted in Slashdot last week, it would seem that a renewed momentum is building up for his cross-platform creation, if this editorial is anything to go by. It's called 'Java is Back!' But did it ever go anywhere?"

7 of 558 comments (clear)

  1. like a turtle by Arngautr · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    It might have left, but if you've ever watched a turtle you know they can wander off without you noticing because you got bored watching said turtle try to run.

  2. Re:Return of Java by droleary · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    despite entry level PCs now having specs along the lines of 2.5GHz processor and 256MB of RAM, lots of people on such sites are obssessed with perceived bloat

    That's a bad argument. Firstly, you can't claim the bloat is perceived if at the same time you list relatively hefty machine requirements. Computer resources are finite. Yeah, there are more now than before, but what does Java really give you that is worth tossing all your resources into a glorified emulator?

    lots of (but by no means all) people dissing Java are actually sysadmins, rather than programmers, and do all of the coding that they do do in perl, shell script, and similar

    As a programmer, I can tell you you're dead wrong. A developer with any depth will look at Java and then look at the languages before (and after) it and properly judge it on what new benefits it brings to the table. Java really brings nothing new or technically interesting; you've been duped the Sun marketing department.

    A modern PC spends almost all its time waiting on user input or IO bound anyway.

    And yet the user also spends almost all their time waiting for computer to operate on their input. It can't go both ways. The reality is that people do burst processing. When the user is sitting idle, the machine is usually sitting idle; when the user is doing something, the machine can't finish fast enough! For what it does, Java is still a big pig and the users know it. A developer that gives a damn about their users won't force them to use a Java app. Java is not "back" because it never fulfilled the promises it originally made.

  3. Stop moaning sweetheart by essreenim · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    It doesnt "look" good at all
    Let the Flamebaiting begin:
    Azureus is cool. What are you using Windows? You desserve what you get if you complain about it and you use Windows....You certainly sound like a Windows XP user or something. Java has its own original look and feel that is difficult for Windows buffs to accept. If you are clever you will focus on how it works not how it looks.

  4. Re:And for anybody who doesn't believe... by osgeek · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Well that fucking proves it, I guess. Case closed... we can all go home now that you have proven Java's light weightedness, leaving no room for doubt.

  5. I said it before, and i'll say it again by mrshowtime · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Java Sucks, and I'm not trolling. Everything and anything Java has caused me great pain over the years; system crashes, program crashes, etc. Ebay was using Java pop ups for their system till it became such a bother for the users and Sys Admins, that they simply just got rid of it.

    --
    "Jeremy, you need to get to an internet cafe and cut and paste some appropriate sentiments about me from the world wide
  6. java = dog turd. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    it's a piece of crap, and until I see a full blown operating system written in the language that actually perform better than a slug crawling up a salt covered wall, then I don't think any one has the right to compare it to languages like C that can be used to create good operating systems. Security and memory boo hooing aside, if you are a good developer then you can avoid those issues very easily. Perhaps all you "programmers" who like java because you don't have to think about nasty things like memory should reconsider your choice of careers. Perhaps fluffing or amway is a better line of work for you.

  7. Java has the same problem as Linux by Bandit0013 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    It's too fragmented, there are too many flavors! Speed/performance be damned, hell we can all just buy more ram and faster processors right? That seems to be the mantra of many posters.

    Fragmentation is why Java and Linux, though worthy concepts and definately have a place in the world, will never topple microsoft.

    Microsoft has a plan, they have total control over their specifications. When I compile a .NET application, I know for a fact that any machine with the .NET framework will run, I don't have to worry about which java vm/linux distro they're running, nor do I have to pick and choose between a crapload of library add-ons just to get basic gui functionality. .NET also easily interops with all the other popular microsoft products, exchange, office, etc right out of the box which allows me as a developer to do some cool stuff without much effort. This is important because selling an application is always easier if it adds value to applications already in use.

    What .NET gives you is a fast, stable, secure (I don't know wtf a previous poster was saying when he said .NET isn't secure, that's an ignorant lie if there ever was one, I can't even recall hearing about a framework exploit yet), and consistant development environment. It is astounding how fast you can put together an enterprise application in .NET. Plus with Mono 1.1 you can now run these apps on OSX and Linux, so don't cry about being tied to the windows platform.

    The best way to grow a language is to make it attractive to new developers. That means a lower learning curve and better tools. The learning curve in python, php, and .NET is way lower than java, and Microsoft Visual Studio is the best RAD tool on the planet, hands down. THAT is why Java is going to lose ground. It has enough followers to be saved, but can they pull together enough to compete with .NET etc? I don't think so, but they could surprise me.