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Desktop Java: JDIC is "Definitely a Step Forward"

Desktop Java: JDIC is "Definitely a Step Forward"
By Java News Desk
Article Rating:
June 10, 2004 12:00 AM EDT
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 16,985

Rick Jelliffe, CTO of Topologi and a standards activist with ISO and W3C involved in XML, WWW internationalization, and schema languages, has commented on this week's move by Sun to release under the LGPL license a Java API that allows Java applications to better integrate with a modern desktop.

Called the JDIC / JDesktop Integration Components API, the API allows apps to embed a Web browser component, access/launch desktop applications and associate filetypes.

"The optimist in me sees hope in JDIC," Jelliffe says. "maybe someone in Sun is pushing towards providing the kinds of things that we desktop application developers need in Java now."

"Next if only they would provide a standard platform-specific launcher that that matches the max heap with the available RAM, allows subsequent invocation of an application to send parameters to the running one, and connects to status bars and system notifications," he continues, "now that would be really great!"

Jelliffe notes that he doesn't have any hope "that anyone will standardize a logging system for Java that remotely is usable for desktop applications, or that a system-pulse system can be provided by the JRE to allow applications to throttle back when PCs are congested due to other actions."

"But they are certainly the kinds of things that [in] Java needs to be excellent," he adds. "Looking at the hard work done on the new Java memory model," he continues, "indicates that Sun is still more interested in how to support MPU systems rather than how to utilize RAM on single PCs better."

All in all, says Jelliffe, this is definitely a step forward. "So well done, Sun."

"I guess the idea is that since every desktop platform has a browser, file browser, and mailer, Java does not abandon WORE (write once run everywhere) by providing better access to it," he adds.  

Published June 10, 2004 – Reads 16,985
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Most Recent Comments
Donald Fraser 06/11/04 07:59:58 AM EDT

In my opinion one of the original goals of Java was to consolidate Sun''s position in the server market. Servers are where Sun has made all their money in the past and that is why Java has never been well polished in the desktop arena. Sure its had some support like "swing" but as a desktop programmer and user of Java desktop apps it just doesn''t run for long enough before consuming all memory resources. In the past I thought that it was my programming and others that simply didn''t code well enough to avoid memory leeks but that is not the case. I now use Excelsior JET to compile all my apps to binary which includes JET''s own VM and memory management. Now I have no problems with performance or memory. Clearly Sun could do a lot to match this sort of performance. I welcome any move by Sun to do this and whilst there are many promises in the new Tiger 1.5 VM, I''m afraid that the only reason Sun is doing this is to help promote their new JDesktop platform. What happens if JDesktop doesn''t take off? How much time and money will Sun spend on this before succeeding or giving up? Personally I will continue to support those vendors who have made Java desktop apps. a reality for today - keep up the good work Excelsior!
jahf 06/09/04 08:33:00 AM EDT

Sun has been a proponent of developing desktop apps in Java, including a number of open source Java apps in the Java Desktop System and developing new ones for it as well (Java System Updater), and this appears to be a step towards making that goal a bit easier.

Those willing to step back and look at all facets (JDIC, Java Desktop System, Looking Glass previews, etc, and hopefully others) will see that Sun is getting more serious about making Java a platform for desktop developers.
InfoPoint 06/09/04 08:28:26 AM EDT

Look maybe at "Class Data Sharing" here: http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/relnotes/features.html#vm_classdatas...

[from that link:]

"a new feature in J2SE 1.5 intended to reduce the startup time for Java programming language applications, in particular smaller applications, as well as reduce footprint."
jbr439 06/09/04 08:26:48 AM EDT

Java's memory footprint is currently too large to allow numerous java programs of a moderate complexity (and size) to be running simultaneously on the desktop. Until Sun gets VM sharing going, we will not see Java attain a strong desktop presence. And, in the meantime, Microsoft will be cleaning Java's clock with .NET.

I work in Java and would love to see Sun devote the effort required to make Java *truly* desktop ready. However, I fear that that is not a priority for Sun, and instead we'll see .NET/C# rule the desktop. Hope Sun proves me wrong.