Wow, what an interesting and fun thread. I'm a little horrified to read about some of the perceptions Java developers have about Linux in general, but that's irrelevant...
The topic at hand is Java vs Mono on the desktop. I have always been of the opinion that Java has a great deal to offer the Linux desktop in particular. However, I get a little discouraged at times by how little Sun seems to actually care about. Novell plays the role of a major corporate backer who employs developers from the Linux community who are exclusively focused on making Mono a great Linux desktop solution. Sun on the other hand seems to be made up of developers all in love with how pretty their Mac OS X laptops look but who are, in the meantime, forced to focus on Java for Windows and then if there's some time leftover, Linux as well. I understand the need to target Windows from a business point of view. And I understand that Sun does have limited resources. But if one wonders why Mono is receiving more mindshare on the Linux desktop these days, one needs only to see how dedicated Novell is to promoting Mono as the premier Linux desktop development solution vs Sun's interest. Linux developers pick up on that difference. If Sun treats Java on Linux as less important or if Sun and the Java community write their code on OS X, then Linux developers will treat Java less relevant as a desktop solution. Does anyone at Sun even use Linux as their primary development OS? And while I strongly believe in Java remaining cross platform, would it hurt Sun to develop and promote some Swing applications focused towards improving the Linux desktop just as what Novell attempts to do? I'm not suggesting making it Linux only, just something promoted as being specifically targeted towards and beneficial to the Linux community in particular. Or how about making Java support on KDE top notch with a really killer Qt look and feel or helping to add support that would allow KDE plasmoids to be written in Java? This could improve Linux desktop developer mindshare considerably... My point is, I don't think Java will get enough momentum on it's own in the Linux desktop community without Sun or some other major backer giving it a good, hard nudge in the right direction as Novell no doubt has done with F-Spot, Banshee and other currently popular Mono apps. On Jul 30, 1:16 am, Fabrizio Giudici <[email protected]> wrote: > Vince O'Sullivan wrote: > > > Personally, I think that the greatest barrier to computing development > > has been the continuing success of 1960s operating system, Unix. It's > > a monumental barrier to entry for anyone but a geek. > > I would completely disagree :-) given that the most usable operating > system around, Mac OS X, is Unix-based. I think you're focusing on Linux > and, yes, the average user can't use it. But it's not a technical fault, > as Mac OS X proves that you can create an usable o.s. on top of Unix. > It's a fault of the Linux communities that prefer to re-make the same > thing dozens of times instead of focusing of a couple of implementations > and do them good. Of course, this is because the Linux communities are > mostly made of geeks. > > -- > Fabrizio Giudici - Java Architect, Project Manager > Tidalwave s.a.s. - "We make Java work. Everywhere." > weblogs.java.net/blog/fabriziogiudici -www.tidalwave.it/blog > [email protected] - mobile: +39 348.150.6941 --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" 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/javaposse?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
