More On JavaFX Launch – Linux Out, FX Mobile In
For those anticipating the imminent JavaFX 1.0 launch, a few more relevant details emerged during yesterday’s AYDJ podcast:
- The 1.0 launch date is no longer fixed at Dec 2. The new JavaFX.com web-site may go live a few days before that, or a few days after (there is a launch event planned for Dec 4)
- At launch JavaFX will, unfortunately, be available only on Windows. This will disappoint quite a few people. However, Sun remains committed to releasing JavaFX on Linux and Solaris, so I guess this is simply a case of having to cut the project scope to get FX out of the door. It’s unclear to me what the situation is for Mac OS X – it could soon become a big problem for JavaFX that Apple controls Java on the Mac. A RIA platform that doesn’t work on Mac OS X won’t be credible. It’s OK in the short-term, but not in the medium term. Update: It’s been confirmed in the comments by the JavaFX folks that JavaFX will run on Mac OS X at launch. That is very good news for the platform.
- One unexpected piece of news is that a JavaFX Mobile emulator may make the cut, so that developers can start testing their FX software against the JavaFX Mobile apis right from day one of the platform launch.
- Java SE 6 Update 10 has reached 16 million downloads from people actively looking to install it; and the install base will now grow rapidly because all existing Java SE installs will now start to auto-update to this version
- Java SE 6 Update 11 will be released simultaneously with the JavaFX 1.0 release
The other piece of news of relevance to Java developers is that the Java team will not be included in Sun’s recent lay-off plans. Sun’s Java business is profitable, and growing revenues, so there will be no cuts in that area.
Octavian wrote:
Next week’s release of the JavaFX platform will be supported on Mac OSX.
JavaFX 1.0 Desktop Runtime will be automatically downloaded on Windows and Mac OS desktops and browsers that support Java 1.5 or higher, when users access a JavaFX application for the first time.
On Windows, JavaFX leverages the Java SE 6 Runtime Environment Update 10 that provides a newly redesigned browser plugin with draggable applets, simpler deployment, improved performance and look & feel
Posted 26 Nov 2008 at 2:28 am ¶
simon wrote:
Octavian, are you sure about this? At least some of your information appears to be out of date: the launch Java platform for JavaFX will actually be Java SE 6 Update 11.
Posted 26 Nov 2008 at 8:47 am ¶
Hanno wrote:
Looking forward to the release.
Last week I looked at the design tool of Adobe’s catalyst that is made to create flex applications (http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flashcatalyst/).
The design part looks impressing. Hope the Sun developers will make something compelling, although the Adobe stuff will always be more accepted by designers, therefore I think it would be great if we also get an export filter for catalyst-designer if that is possible.
Posted 26 Nov 2008 at 11:08 am ¶
Nandini wrote:
Octavian is correct, 6u10 is the release that contains all the great new features we need for JavaFX. The teams worked closely together on JavaFX and 6u10 to make sure we have a cohesive platform. The browser plugin is a highlight of those efforts. All future updates, including u11 contain this great functionality.
Posted 26 Nov 2008 at 8:04 pm ¶
simon wrote:
Thanks for the clarification about Octavian’s points, Nandini. It’s appreciated. So you’re saying that:
- u11 won’t be the launch Java platform for JavaFX?
- And that JavaFX will work on Mac OS X at launch?
The latter point sounds good to me! I guess I misunderstood the AYDJ podcast then…
Posted 26 Nov 2008 at 8:12 pm ¶
Josh Marinacci wrote:
JavaFX will run on Java 1.5+ on Mac and Java 6u10+ on Windows. A few features, like draggable applets, will only be available on Windows because you need the new plugin for that. And we are working with Apple to fix this on Mac as well.
Posted 27 Nov 2008 at 8:12 am ¶
simon wrote:
That is fabulous, Josh! Thanks for the confirmation.
Posted 27 Nov 2008 at 8:44 am ¶
michael wrote:
This really is bad news for Linux. It really seems like Linux on the desktop will never be taken seriously. I know that you cannot please all the people all of the time but this really is hurtful news. I actually was looking forward to the technology but now it seems like the Linux community has yet again become the red headed stepchild of a major corporation. Since I have to develop on a Windows box why not just use flex and call it done? I realize that it’s all about installed base but I’m just waiting for a company to break that cycle and put open source at the forefront. I thought Sun was that company. By releasing just on Windows and Mac it just seems contradictory to the whole open source avenue that Sun is going after. Sun — we believe in open source just not open source on the Linux desktop. Well, patience is a virtue and I’m sure that once the FX sdk is released on Linux my view of FX will change. Or will it?
Posted 01 Dec 2008 at 9:01 pm ¶
simon wrote:
They’re going to release it on Linux. I imagine that the Linux release will come pretty soon after the initial release this week.
Remember this is a 1.0 release. You’re a developer – so you know just how much work is involved in shipping the first version of of a system. Not only do you have to get the damn thing finished, but there’s all the “i”s and “t”s to be dotted and crossed to get everything deployed, documented etc. Sometimes, you just have to take a step back and cut things out for version 1.0. That doesn’t mean that enhancements can’t follow on behind pretty rapidly.
Posted 02 Dec 2008 at 8:22 am ¶
Bryan wrote:
@michael
I whole-heartedly agree. I couldn’t be more disappointed that Linux isn’t supported at launch. The lack of initial Linux support sends a message so loudly, it’s deafening.
I’m a professional Java developer. I’m Sun certified. I’m a proponent of Sun. But this kind of bullcrap can’t be tolerated from the supposedly “Write once run everywhere” platform.
Looks like Flex is the only cross-platform solution… And they released Flash Player 9 and 10 on all platforms (including LINUX — imagine that) and the same time!!
It would have been infinitely better for Sun to delay the JavaFX release and support ALL platforms at the same time.
What a joke! Again, I couldn’t be more disappointed.
Posted 02 Dec 2008 at 6:04 pm ¶
simon wrote:
@Bryan – I hear that you’re disappointed. I’m disappointed too. Many Linux developers are early adopters, of the kind that might like to try out new tech like JavaFX. It would have been great if Linux was a launch platform.
However, having said that, I honestly think you might be misinterpreting the message coming out of Sun in regard of Linux support. The truth is that the JavaFX team, like all teams, has finite resources. You can’t do everything all at once.
JavaFX is a brand new technology, just at version 1.0 on the launch platforms. I don’t think it would have been infinitely better to wait any longer to launch. They need to get a production release in the hands of early adopter developers right now. They do need to follow fast with a Linux release, though – it should at the top of the priority list.
It’s going to be a journey to get JavaFX running “everywhere”. In late 2008, we will have full Windows and partial Mac support. In 2009, we will have Linux Desktop support (I really hope that’s early 2009). Also in 2009, we will have JavaFX on mobile phones. In 2010, we will hava JavaFX running on televisions.
Again, in 2009, we will have enhancements to the platform, such as an integrated 2-D and 3-D scenegraph (that could well be be awesome – Sun is hopefully taking the time to do it right).
I think the biggest problem facing JavaFX is the fact that Mac OS X is often years behind the state-of-the-art when it comes to Java; and it’s totally out of Sun’s hands. That is a huge strategic issue.
Posted 02 Dec 2008 at 8:56 pm ¶
alopecoid wrote:
Hi,
Could someone explain to me why Java can’t be developed/released for the Mac by anyone other than Apple (i.e. Sun)? There are thousands of applications developed for the Mac without Apple’s direct control… what makes Java different?
Thanks.
Posted 03 Dec 2008 at 3:01 am ¶
jjhober wrote:
See http://blogs.sun.com/javafx/entry/a_word_on_linux_and
JavaFX on Linux and Solaris – “actively working on it right now”… “we are working on it and will ship it.”
Posted 04 Dec 2008 at 6:42 pm ¶