One example around me, in our school's cs computer lab
all machines used Sun solaris before, now they are all
changed to Linux.


--- Paul Pantera <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> I was a member of the Java 3D group at Sun from its
> inception to the initial
> round of layoffs in November 2001.  So perhaps I can
> provide some insight
> as to why Java 3D is losing support from Sun.
>
> The reason is because the popularity and performance
> of Linux and commodity
> Intel compatible processors.  This has decreased
> demand for Sun's servers
> and workstations.  As sales went down, costs needed
> to go down to keep
> the company's stock price afloat.  Layoffs occurred.
>
> Java 3D was developed in the 3D graphics hardware
> group at Sun.  Sun's
> 3D graphics hardware used to be among the fastest
> you could get - much
> faster than any PC.  The amazing performance of
> commodity processors
> from ATI and NVidia have caught up and surpassed
> Sun's hardware and
> have alleviated the need for Sun's customers to buy
> their expensive
> workstations.  Because the group is no longer making
> money for Sun,
> more layoffs occurred, and Java 3D was among the
> first project to be
> cut since it doesn't provide any income for the
> company.
>
> The Java group within Sun seems to have more support
> from upper
> management.  Perhaps if Java 3D were part of the
> Java group instead of
> the 3D Graphics Hardware group, things would be
> different.
>
> So it's my opinion that the lack of support for Java
> 3D isn't due
> to bugs, lack of Mac support, or mis-management, but
> instead it's
> because of external business concerns that have
> nothing to do with
> Java 3D.
>
> I, like you, wish Sun would post an official
> announcement about the
> future of Java 3D.  I'm personally concerned because
> I now make my
> living using Java 3D.  I do know that there are Java
> 3D supporters
> still at Sun, including the original architect of
> Java 3D Doug
> Twilleager, and J3DFly author Paul Byrne.  I do not
> know, however,
> if anyone is still supporting the product full time,
> as Kelvin
> and Mark were.
>
> I'm glad to see that Sun has decided to officially
> support an
> open source Java/OpenGL binding, JOGL.  Perhaps they
> will
> eventually decide to make Java 3D open source.
> However, be
> careful what you wish for.  The Java 3D source is
> huge and
> complex.  There are native sections for Solaris,
> Windows/OpenGL,
> and Windows/Direct3D, plus common code.  I don't
> know how you'd
> open source a build process that requires different
> pieces of
> the code be built on different machines running
> different
> operating systems.
>
> I'm not going to worry for now.  I'm confident that
> there will
> be Java 3D into the future, and if not, that there
> will be a
> clean migration path to an alternative technology,
> perhaps open-
> mind or Xith3d.
>
> It's clear that we are going to have to start taking
> on the
> burden of supporting ourselves in the future - Sun
> is not footing
> the bill any more.  We whould try to work together
> as a community.
>
> -Paul Pantera
>   PresidioLabs Inc.
>
>
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