Sun throws JavaFX hat into Web app ring

Sun Microsystems on Thursday released a preview version of JavaFX, programming technology the company hopes will be the foundation of splashy, whiz-bang Internet applications.

Sun is promoting JavaFX as a good way to write rich Internet applications. (Click to enlarge.)

(Credit: Sun Microsystems)

JavaFX, like its Java progenitor, includes both software to execute programs and a programming language used to write those programs--JavaFX Script for the new technology.

Java has a strong brand in programming circles, but the technology caught on chiefly for use on servers and mobile phones. Sun is trying to go full circle with JavaFX, billing the software as a way to run software on desktop PCs. The software includes support for 2D and 3D graphics, audio and video, and animation.

But JavaFX has an uphill battle. Adobe Systems' Flash is widely used, Microsoft's relatively new Silverlight is headed toward its second, more versatile version, and ordinary HTML Web pages augmented with JavaScript has proven useful for many rich Internet applications that don't require a lot of pizzazz.

The JavaFX developer tools, it should be noted, come with Project Nile, a tool to export content from Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, a hand-off that could help the technology match Adobe's more unified suite of products.

The final release of JavaFX for desktop computers is due in the fall, and Sun plans to release the first version of JavaFX for mobile devices in spring 2009, the company said.

[sundance808]

hahumm...

[kwhsy82]

The fact that I'm the only (or at least first) person commenting indicates what a yawn this is. My company used to use Java extensively but switched ourselves (and 100K customers) to Flash. Java was a nightmare for users to install and for us to support. New versions constantly had bugs until a patch came out a week or two later. Explaining to customers how to update Java on their machines was a nightmare. The installation was always an "adventure." Despite its promising beginning, Java as a consumer product is near over, alas. Flash now offers most of the capabilities of Java and is stronger in many areas; it is far more stable; and is 10x easier to install and maintain.

[johnchen168]

100% agree. RIA is not the game for SUN!

http://lucascom.webng.com - source of animal clipart

[smoothcnetreader]

Flash (and possibly Silverlight as well) have a big problem with operation on mobile devices. Flash is a very heavy platform, and just doesn't run well on mobile platforms. Adobe is trying to address this issue with limited success.

JavaFX was designed to run well on mobile platforms, and that's it's key value. Until I read this article, I wasn't aware that the PC platform was even on the radar for JavaFX. JavaFX may or may not succeed in the marketplace, but it has a better chance of capturing the mobile application space than Flash in my opinion.