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Java has a hard time - it's damned if it does, and damned if it doesn't. For example, Java's strength is through it's API foundation. Lots and lots of useful classes. However, this is 'bloat' to many, and 'not adequate' for others.
In other languages, like C/C++, Python, Perl, you don't get system tray stuff out-of-the-box the box either. You have to install some UI toolkit libs and grab some bindings. Similarly, in Java, it was *possible* to use the system tray directly via JNI, or you could have used any of the 3rd party libs (JDIC, JTray, SysTray, ...)
It surprises me how people have extremely high expectations of Java. Perhaps that's due to Sun's marketting or because it's a commercial venture, or something.
My leanings are towards FOSS. Good ol' OSS Perl gets rave reviews because it's so well supported and has all the 3rd party modules on CPAN. Well, Java's well supported too, and has lots of OSS extras available (see java.net). However, "Java sucks becauase it doesn't have X"!
Now, I'm not saying Java's perfect. But I think it's pretty good for writing many types of software, not just web-based stuff. I find desktop apps are easy to write in Java. Mustang will make desktop apps even better. They do definitely need to experiment more with loading times, I'll grant you. Progress has been good over the last couple of releases, and apparantly, they can't actually release a major version unless certain performance measures are improved!
> Java's strength is through it's API foundation. Lots and lots of useful classes. However, this is 'bloat' to many, and 'not adequate' for others.
Well, you forgot also used to be 'buggy' in many parts for ex. Swing, printing, etc.. with Sun tooking years to fix bug thousands of developpers 'voting' that it should be fixed ASAP.
Maybe these part are still buggy, I don't know: I've stopped developping in Java.




Member since:
2006-01-10
Just to clarify, I wasn't talking about Java's performance. I was talking about how fast the Java language/libraries progress.
As I said. System Tray notification only coming in in 2006 with Mustang...that's ridiculous.
Also, as others have mentioned things like the class path and other annoying tidbits. My personal opinion is they need to move towards the end user and less of Java purity.