What - Me Worry? (about JavaFX vis-à-vis the Sun acquisition by Oracle)

If you've read this blog for any length of time (or attended any of my presentations/classes) you know that I believe that JavaFX is desperately needed by the software development industry and its users.  You also know that I have spent much time and energy advocating, writing about, and providing feedback to the development of JavaFX.

I've frequently stated that JavaFX is bigger than its founder (Chris Oliver), and bigger than Sun.  JavaFX will become as pervasive as the needs of the industry require it to be, and an event like Oracle purchasing Sun in my opinion is nearly irrelevant to the success of JavaFX.

That being said, here's what fellow Java Champion Harshad Oaks wrote in his IndicThreads article on the subject:

"Oracle doesn’t have a competing GUI & graphics technology, however Oracle also doesn’t seem to be very interested in that space. I would expect Oracle to continue to support JavaFX for the time being but truly process JavaFX maybe a year from now, when it would have come to terms with the Sun acquisition."

I can make the argument that the reason Oracle "doesn't seem to be interested in that space" is because until now the rich-client Java space has been hindered by deployment issues as well as development complexity.  Java 6 update 10 and JavaFX are quickly changing this.  It is my opinion that Oracle will take full advantage of the capability of JavaFX to (for example) create graphically stunning UIs on their database tools and other products.

Regards,

Jim Weaver
JavaFXpert.com

Comments

[Gaurav]

From Where I get the information about future of javaFx?
Oracle should promote javaFx(its the future ).

[Anatoli Fomenko]

@Jim I just created twitter.com/oraclefx account. We can use it as a voice of the JavaFX community on JavaFX future - one place to follow. Please send PMs to @oraclefx, I'll retwit. Or -- do you have a better idea?

[Jim Weaver]

Thierry,

This is great input. Thanks!

Jim Weaver

[Thierry]

Hello Jim, I also think java as a rich application (like Flash) is only starting. If I were an Oracle executive in charge of java-javaFx-Swing investor I would tell the people at Sun :

"Hello guys, It took you some time to decide to make java Platfrom simple and beautifull. But it starting to look appealing.
Now that you have done it technically, please just continue the good job. :

- You guys at Update-and-install-java, do it even more simpler for developpers. And continue to squeeze and Flash the jre for Web people. Adobe Flash is our target. Don't under estimate your work : Wo else in the world can catch up on Adobe Flash ? Only Microsoft and you Sun java builders. We at Oracle we know that for sure. Just go on and amaze us

- You guys at javafx-top-cool-animation-and nice looking-web-apps we know this is just the begining of web-beautifful-sites. Together we must convice people. With the help of tousaund of cool open source java API we have a POWER Sylverlight and not-evn-Adobe-Flash people can dream of. Now of course many people on PHP-HTML sides hates Sun and java today. Because of trabeled applet history. But don't fool yourself : javaFx along with java and is on the success move. People easelly change their mind if they see visually cool things. Show those Web developpers nice appplication and they will change their mind in one night".

But nevertheless I am also nervous about Oracle here. Let's hope they are not just cost-killers guys but also see the web market trends wich is moving fast to a more Flash-Sylverlight-javaFx features.