Java Archive

Saw this over at BSDForums.org. In this final series article, JavaWorld's Jeff Friesen completes his exploration of threads by focusing on thread groups, volatility, thread-local variables, timers, and the ThreadDeath class. Also, the accompanying sidebar, "Finalization and Threads," explores Java's finalization activity in the context of threads.

The company, along with Java backers, is preparing a new release of its Java software for cell phones that it hopes will prevent a splintering of the Java market and stave off rivals such as Microsoft. Read the report at News.com.

ZDNews reports that Sun Microsystems this week released a new version of its Java software development tool with support for Web services. Sun previously released test versions of the tool and Web services technology. The Sun One Studio version 4.0, previously called Forte for Java, supports the latest version of Java and allows programmers to convert existing software into Web services.

The editor in chief at Java Developer's Journal has published a piece debunking the three more spreaded myths about C#, in a wake up call effort for the Java community, trying to show that .NET is not to be underestimated and C#, technically-speaking, is not "bad" as some Java-heads think it is. On a related article, Joel Spolsky, from the JoelOnSoftware fame, wrote an article about where his company and himself personally stand on the Microsoft proposition for a new global API, the .NET Framework.

In this developerWorks article, antipatterns expert and author of Bitter Java, Bruce Tate, demonstrates how and why antipatterns are a necessary and complementary companion to design patterns. Antipatterns describe a commonly occurring solution to a problem that generates decidedly negative consequences. In another new developerWorks article over at IBM, the second of two comparing SSH, remote X, VNC, and other technologies as ways of remotely running applications. In this part, David takes a look at some VNC configuration issues, glances at IBM's Desktop On-Call, introduces remote X, and talks a bit about security.

Many articles regarding Java on ZDNews today. "As Sun enters its 20th year, the Silicon Valley stalwart is trying to redefine Java's place in high-tech history--and finally make its prized technology pay off in a major way. Plus, keep track of the annual JavaOne conference to see Sun's determination to change its fortunes." and IBM and Sun seek common ground: "Rival open-source efforts to simplify development of Java software are inching closer together to battle a common enemy: Microsoft."

Sun Microsystems launches its annual JavaOne conference with a new determination to reverse its fortune. For all its hype and popularity, Java has made more money in direct software sales for competitors than for the company that invented it. "As Sun Microsystems' chief claim to fame in the software world, Java began seven years ago as a bold assault on the company's sworn enemy, Microsoft." The article is at ZDNews. "At the JavaOne conference in San Francisco this week, Java software makers will attempt to regain ground lost to Microsoft in the emerging market for Web services development tools and technologies." This article also at ZDNews. "Sun Microsystems Inc. is pushing Java further into the Web services realm with a new version of its Java 2 Enterprise Edition under development. In addition, the company will broadly release this week a beta of its next-generation Java virtual machine for handhelds." This article is at ExtremeTech.

"James Gosling, a Sun fellow, is the lead engineer and architect of the Java programming language and platform. Gosling has been involved in distributed computing since his arrival at Sun Microsystems Inc. in 1984. One of his major recent projects has been the Real Time Specification for Java, which became final in November. Before joining Sun, in Palo Alto, Calif., he built a multiprocessor version of Unix, the original Andrew window system and tool kit, and several compilers and mail systems. He earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Calgary and his doctorate at Carnegie Mellon University. He was interviewed by eWeek Technology Editor Peter Coffee." Read the interview at eWeek.

Halcyon Software announced the beta release of its iNET technology, the first commercially available Java-based implementation of the Microsoft .NET framework. The iNET technology offers Microsoft VisualStudio.NET developers an immediate solution to deploy their Client/Server applications and Web Services to any platform. "Develop in .NET, deploy anywhere," Don Hsi, Halcyon's President & CEO explained, "is what iNET delivers to the Microsoft .NET developers." He went on to say, "Our customers need a seamless solution to accommodate their commitment to both J2EE and Microsoft .NET architecture."

"When it was first introduced, it seemed that Java native compilation would surely topple the JVM, taking with it the Java platform's hard-fought platform independence. But even with its growing popularity and the increasing number of native compilers on the market, native compilation has a way to go before it poses a real threat to Java code's portability. Unfortunately, it also may be a while before the technology is mature enough to resolve the Java performance issues so many of us struggle with today." The article discusses the pros and cons of generating native code from Java source. Update: Steve Klingsporn says "TowerJ compiles java byte code into native code, and works quite well."

"Sun's Java is locked on the future in this new release With this significant upgrade of the Java standard, Sun directly takes on Microsoft's XP and .NET framework. Whether you're a developer or just a Java enthusiast, you'll need to know what Sun has in store for 2002." Read the interesting preview of the new Java version at ExtremeTech.

"Java inventor James Gosling says he isn't losing much sleep over Microsoft these days, despite the software giant's effort to stem Java's popularity with its own Java-like language. The next battle in Web services software development pits Microsoft against Java creator Sun Microsystems, along with Java adherents IBM, Oracle and others. Crucial to Microsoft's effort is C#, a Java-like language that will soon be part of the company's new Visual Studio.Net package of software-development tools, which was released to developers Wednesday." Read the rest of the interview with James Gosling at C|Net News.

"IBM claims that it's achieved 339,484 operations per second on a 32-way, POWER4 Regatta on the SPECjbb2000 benchmark. Which is higher than a 72-way Sun Fire 15K. IBM also brags that its Regatta, kitted out 128GB of memory and 36.4GB storage will cost - at $2 million - half as much as a Sun Fire 15K with 288GB memory and 288GB storage." Read the rest of the story at TheRegister.

"What got me to this state of indignation is a dawning realization that Microsoft is about to win again in a part of the business where they have no business winning. I predict that Microsoft is about to beat the bejeezus out of Java." Read the rest of the editorial at I,Cringely. Update: Read also the relevant article "The MSDN advantage" by Larry Seltzer on ZDNetTech.