No, I don't think JavaScript is a great choice for a language. It really is mostly a client-side technology and the server-side JavaScript stuff (that I'm aware of anyway) is not that great, really not great at all.
Also, as was mentioned elsewhere, Groovy and Scala aren't really Java alternatives since they rely on Java to run. That could be changed, but one way or another the virtual machine and compilation to byte code to run on it are important and useful approaches regardless of the syntax the programmer uses to write stuff that will run on the virtual machine. What I was referring to, specifically for the possibility that Sun/Oracle Java disappears, is things like Apache Harmony and (to some extent) the newer OpenJDK stuff. Those things have been released under open source licenses, and you can't put that cat back in the bag. Even if Oracle decided to stop supporting Java altogether, or that all future work they did would remain for commercial licensing only, these things would still exist. Anyway, the point is that there is no need to step back 20 years in technology advancements or even to pause for months or years while rebuilding some sort of foundation... alternatives already exist. We don't have to abandon byte code driven virtual machines or garbage collected memory management or any of those nice things. On a side note, yes, Groovy and simple-methods (or XML Actions in Moqui) are higher level languages that could run on various platforms. This might be of interest: the XML Actions in Moqui are interpreted using an FTL template that generates Groovy code, which is then compiled on the fly to a class object and cached, and that is what is used to run the code. Changing the FTL template to generate code in another scripting or other language would be a fairly easy task (unless the language was horrible... even between Groovy and Java many things in Groovy are WAY easier). -David On Feb 24, 2011, at 6:00 AM, Jacques Le Roux wrote: > Sorry to underestand in place of David, > > Groovy, I guess since David is using it heavily in Moqui > > I like Scala too (like js it's Object Oriented and Functional also but more > "serious" I'd say > I must say I don't much about it yet http://www.scala-lang.org/ > > Jacques > > Al Byers wrote: >> Ok David, I'll bite; I would like to know what alternatives to Java >> you think are worth considering. Is Javascript one of them (my pick)? >> -Al >> On Wed, Feb 23, 2011 at 3:12 PM, David E Jones <[email protected]> wrote: >>> Back to being serious: thank goodness technology has progressed far beyond >>> such things. They were ridiculously limited and >>> required huge amounts of human effort to create the simplest software, or >>> meet the simplest needs. I don't know what you mean by "Java goes >>> commercial", IMO Java is already commercial and efforts to move it toward >>> being more >>> open have been problematic. Either way, if Java is compromised it will only >>> open the way for something newer and better to come >>> along, and frankly there are already various decent alternatives. -David >>> On Feb 23, 2011, at 1:14 PM, BJ Freeman wrote: >>>> started wire wrapped s-100 system, 1n 1976 had a full 2k of 8bit memory >>>> with a boot strap that I loaded with switches that then >>>> loaded a monitor from a cassette tape. that gave a chance to enter my code >>>> in hex, that i wrote out on paper, then saved it to >>>> cassette tape. That was my first OS. Then there was exidy OS with rom >>>> packs for applications. finally cpm with c code so could expand. >>>> small c then pascal, then C#. >>>> then a got a 5 1/4 drive with i86 board that mounted on it and got >>>> compiled cpm for it. I really wanted an Apple. Closest I got >>>> was an amiga. got Dos to work then windows 1.3 >>>> worked for a lot of early computer manufactures including apple and >>>> commodore. >>>> still have pascal with the source code, so if and when Java goes >>>> commercial, I will revert all code to pascal and Ai. >>>> ========================= >>>> BJ Freeman >>>> Strategic Power Office with Supplier Automation >>>> <http://www.businessesnetwork.com/automation/viewforum.php?f=52> >>>> Specialtymarket.com <http://www.specialtymarket.com/> >>>> Systems Integrator-- Glad to Assist >>>> Chat Y! messenger: bjfr33man >>>> David E Jones sent the following on 2/23/2011 12:37 PM: >>>>> That's why I still use DOS. You can learn everything there is to know >>>>> about it in a few weeks, and I got that out of the way >>>>> nearly two decades ago. I'm a happy camper. -David >>>>> On Feb 23, 2011, at 12:19 PM, Jacques Le Roux wrote: >>>>>> The better tool is the one you know >>>>>> Jacques >>>>>> BJ Freeman wrote: >>>>>>> I still use netscape >>>>>>> ========================= >>>>>>> BJ Freeman >>>>>>> Strategic Power Office with Supplier >>>>>>> Automation<http://www.businessesnetwork.com/automation/viewforum.php?f=52> >>>>>>> Specialtymarket.com<http://www.specialtymarket.com/> >>>>>>> Systems Integrator-- Glad to Assist >>>>>>> Chat Y! messenger: bjfr33man >>>>>>> Jacques Le Roux sent the following on 2/23/2011 11:21 AM: >>>>>>>> http://gs.statcounter.com/#browser-ww-monthly-200807-201101 >
