Oracle finally outlines roadmap for mobile Java

There has been considerable criticism of Oracle since it acquired Sun Microsystems, and with it, the Java technology. In particular, the database giant has been accused, by Google and others, of failing to provide clear direction and leadership for the mobile version of the open source software, which underpins a huge percentage …

[c 1]

deckchairs on the titanic

The oracle/sun approach to mobile app environments has held the entire industry back a decade or more. Hopefully this initiative will die the death it deserves.

[Anonymous Coward]

Says who?

"The next release of FX, in Q311, will introduce generics, annotations and multithreading, and continue work started by Sun to open the VM to non-Java languages including JRuby, Groovy and JavaScript, says The Register."

But wait! I'm reading this in The Register right now!

[Lance 3]

ARM7

Why even bother with ARM7 support. ARM9 is even questionable as most have gone to ARM11 or the Cortex series (A8/A9.) It is time to move forward and forget about backwards compatibility for a chip design introduced in 1994.

[Wang N Staines]

Blah Blah... Whateva..

Or they could just support Android.

[Giles Jones]

Oh great

What the world needs is yet another mobile app development environment to add to:

1. iOS

2. WebOS

3. Symbian

4. Android

5. Blackberry

6. Windows Phone

Probably many more too.

[Anonymous Coward]

Does anybody actually care?

>The next release of FX, in Q311, will introduce generics, annotations and multithreading

Wow, I'm on tenterhooks - and all this by Q3 2011!

[Anton Ivanov]

Not good enough

The reason developers love Android and Apple is that they can write an app once and have it on handsets of all 400+ operators out there through a single distribution channel - Android Store or iTunes.

That is why Java ME has met such a lukewarm acceptance so far. Only a few of the biggest software companies will consider entering a market where you have to deal with 400+ distribution channels.

Oracle has once again failed to deal with that. So all of the technical effort Oracle intends to put into Java ME is least likely to change its popularity.

[Lyle Dietz]

Plan vs Implementation

As a former Java ME developer, I didn't have a problem with Java ME itself, but with the various implementations.

Nokia (Series 40 and 60) and Sony Ericsson were the best ones, with the least painful quirks, the rest were rubbish.

To save Java ME, you have to bend the implementers over the table with the red hot poker until they get it right.

[John Tserkezis]

It was good while it lasted.

They're using the words "Oracle", "Mobile" and "Experience" in the same sentence.

I know wank words when I see them. This can't be good.

[Anonymous Coward]

"Oracle will clearly be trying to take any sting out of these claims now"

...by comparing a working, successful and widely-deployed platform with a vapourware announcement.

[Tom 35]

and control the user experience

DO NOT WANT. "and control the user experience" = try and make you pay for crap that should be free (after any data used).

[Anonymous Coward]

Not good enough

"...with Google, which uses its own Java virtual machine, Dalvik, on its OS."

Dalvik is NOT a JAVA VM.

Come on Reg, you know better than this.

[The Cube]

I don't see what is Oracle about this yet

This is all well and good, but where is the Oracle bit?

How will the users / handset manufacturers / software writers end up bleeding all their money into the Oracle pit? There is no way Oracle are doing any of this without a plan to bleed out all the profits from everyone else involved in the delivery so where is the gotcha?

When will the license fee for handset Java become more expensive than the handset (like a copy of Windows)?

Perhaps the kick isn't here yet and Oracle are hoping to lull people into a false sense of security and foget about that fin circling in the water, or maybe they are pulling this as a short term stunt to hurt Google and Android because there is no way Oracle are going to spend the money it takes to spend 10 years in patent litigation against Google?

Any which way, one thing you can be certain of, anyone who ends up in the "ecosystem" is going to end up regretting it when Larry Evil decides it is time to cash in at everyone else'e expense.

[Anonymous Coward]

I'll wait and see'''''''''''''

............if they keep acting like malware vendors, bundling irrelevant, unnecessary and unwanted crap with the product - like they do with desktop windows versons .

Scummy parasiteware