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At 19:11 24/07/2006, Didier PH Martin wrote: >Hello Peter, >Didier replies: >Peter, I noticed recently a new trend for people who invested in Java. At >first it seems that several projects tried to develop some functionality in >Java. For example CML got its java interpreter, translating the CML document >into a three D view. But, and this is not entirely the fault of browser >environments, Java is not always running smoothly in these environments >mainly because the plug-in run-time is not running smoothly and several >version were simply buggy. We blame the browsers but in fact we should also >blame who made the plug-in. The problem is that there was no standard, stable API for plugins so it isn't surprising that people don't always get it right. >Because of this matter of fact and because of the recent push lead by IBM of >a java only run-time incarnated by Eclipse. It seems that several projects >with vested interest in Java are moving toward the eclipse platform. In the >last month I saw at least 3 major projects moving in that direction. And our own Bioclipse... >New trend: >So, there is a new trend now where the Java world is moving to a new >platform: Eclipse. The model is simply that you download the eclipse >platform and then download pug-ins from the web when needed. Publishers >define perspectives and the latter are used to know the requirement. See, >again the requirement thing (what is actually missing in the browser >platform to know intelligently what to do). The main problem is complexity for those who know nothing about Eclipse. ><snip/> >The impact: for the browsers, the emergence (since a couple of years) of >portable libraries like Sarissa offering a single API on top of the >different browser platforms (doesn't remind you of a certain patters >re-emerging like a phoenix once in a while). Because W3C recommendations are >a myth or a utopia, the reality is that browser implementations are still >different (after 1more than 10 years of the web) and have different >behaviour. What is needed is: >a) get rid of the browsers and start from scratch all over. This is what >people migrating to Eclipse are doing. However, they port their actual >applets and hence, do not totally start from scratch. >b) do some layers on top of the browser platform to adapt to the different >browser platforms. This is what the AJAXIANs and your humble servant are >doing. >c) Embrace The new window generation and enjoy the efficiency of XAML. > Thanks - some of this is new to me and I'll see what I can find out for myself. >P. Peter Murray-Rust Unilever Centre for Molecular Sciences Informatics University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK +44-1223-763069
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