The Irony of Java's success on the device UI via Android There's lots of irony in the successful use of the Java 'language' within the phenomena that the Android OS has become. E.g. Java began life at Sun as Oak which was meant to be a language for small devices up to set-top boxes. It went on at Sun to become a whole 'platform' of APIs too, that technically challenged other OS's such as Windows, and whole server stacks of all persuasions - to the point where Microsoft had to then develop the .Net platform to stay ahead in the game. (I use that unfolding Java scenario as the ultimate case of 'scope creep' to my students). Ultimately Java made its name and market running server-side, away from user-interfaces. Desktop-wise, Swing was too much too late. Mobile-wise ME was too limited, too rigid, too early. The Android user UI classes and widgets (which are nothing like Swing or AWT - I know, as I tried to convert lots of swing code to them - and a total rewrite was required), have hit a sweet-spot on mobile devices, just when processing power, interactivity and screen presentation can provide a 'user experience', that the modern user now demands of their daily devices. Java the language, via Android the GUI OS, has finally fulfilled Oak's original goal from way-back, of running on small devices and attracting a huge market there-on, in the process. That's Irony with a capital 'I'.
As for the originality of byte-code and virtual machines - the P- System was doing all that with p-code, back in the days of 8-bit micros, before some fool at IBM chose MD-DOS over it as their standard OS for the new 16-bit Intel processor - and an eon before the invention of 'software patents' themselves. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
