WebMink
Simon Phipps's personal commentary

Decompression [java.net]

Heading out of town today, I met Mark Thomas from IBM at the Hertz office. Seems he too needs a break after JavaOne. We're both (independently) heading to Yosemite for the weekend - in fact, I am writing this from the 'Happy Burger' in Mariposa ("if it's not perfect, don't serve it" ). I see Duncan's off to Wisconsin, as is Glen. I guess we all need to decompress - I wonder where other participants have gone for the weekend?

posted at 9:43 PM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

java-dot-stuff [java.net]

I've seen a few people commenting on the new java.xxx URLs. The java.com site is target for some misunderstanding (some of it great fun!). Rafe Colburn for example says:

Maybe I'm just naive, but I'm convinced that there is little overlap between people who care about Java and people who want a virtual Christina Aguilera on their mobile phone.

But I'm afraid I don't agree. The java.com site isn't intended for the usual JavaOne contingent. It's role in life is to be destination for all the click-throughs that come from the new Java logo as it gets used by consumer products companies like Motorola or Nextel when they use it on their web sites. When a consumer clicks on the Java logo, they'll reach a web site that talks about the excitement and value of Java-powered products. This is answering Russell Beattie's point about the need for wide Java branding for the benefit of implementors, and I for one am pleased it's happening at last.

When it comes to the java.net site, people have been asking me why the site sounds so like something Microsoft markets. java.org wasn't Sun's to use, so to paraphrase Bono in the lead-in to U2's cover of 'Helter Skelter', "this is the suffix Microsoft stole from the Internet, now we're stealing it back." You can draw your own parallels.

posted at 9:10 AM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

Roundtable Report [java.net]

FTPOnline has a report on the J2EE Roundtable held on Monday.

posted at 9:59 AM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

Elitism? [java.net]

Alan Williamson wasn't too impressed with Jonathan Schwartz's keynote yesterday, it seems (complete with IDE demos - I hope he's enjoying the Project Rave demo I am watching now!). I'm very interested in his comments on the desire to expand the Java developer base from 3 million to 10 million. He says:

The threshold that we call someone a developer, is going to be dropped significantly ... Sun have historically treated the developer with respect. Giving them the attention and kudos they solely craved. Java developers are real developers; they don't want to be labelled with the Microsoft VB/Marco crowd. Sun will have to be very careful in how they are going to take this forward without alienating and devaluing the current developer base.

Similarly, William Grosso is worried:

The distinction that I'm starting to see is that there no longer seems to be much of a role for a general purpose programmer. The primary skill required of a Java programmer these days seems to be significant expertise in some set of related specifications.

My personal view is that the way to expand the developer community is not to 'drop the threshold' but rather to expand the range of languages that target the Java platform. That's why the discussion in this morning's keynote concerning the embrace of programming languages like PHP and Jython (Sean will be pleased!) is so important. PHP and Jython programming isn't dumbed-down - it's just the use of the tools that are fit for the job, and embracing a wider range of tools simply expands the scope rather than lowers the bar.

posted at 9:56 AM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

java.net goes live [Webtech]

Well, it's gone live so I can tell you about it. At JavaOne, the new java.net portal has been announced, offering an open space for the Java community to meet, comment, document activities and host open source Java projects Java's new Town Square. I have a blog there as do folk like James Gosling - thrilling stuff, for me at least!

posted at 7:53 AM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

Hi Dave! [Quickie]

A big welcome to my friend and former IBM colleague Dave Wilson, who's just started blogging!

posted at 7:46 AM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

SF, JavaOne [PhotoTravel]

I'm now in a cold & grey San Francisco and my hotel room overlooks Moscone Convention Center. The new Java logo is scattered all over the buildings and billboards, and there are people everywhere building stands and making preparations for the influx. Last night I sat in on preparations for Rich Green's keynote on Wednesday, and there's some cool stuff in there...

I have been to all of the US JavaOne conferences (I went to the first few representing IBM), have spoken at a many of them in one capacity or another, and I remain convinced that this is a unique event in the realm of technology conferences. The energy, the buzz in the place, the unexpected fusion of geek and culture, the venue, all contribute to create a spirit and presence that I don't find at any other event.

Even so, a lot has changed, even since last year. The blogging, for example. I'll be fascinated to see how many people are blogging the conference this year - please leave a comment with a pointer to your blog if you are. The rise of the blog has its critics of course, and there's a range of quality stretching from the banal through the abusive to the excellent, but in a context like JavaOne where the community is everything I am expecting quality and insight to flow.

posted at 5:41 PM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |