Presentation: "Enterprise Java FX for the Web Platform"
Time: Thursday 10:45 - 11:45
Location: Westminster Suite
Java Applets were arguably one of the first examples of a Rich Internet Application in 1995, when Sun scored a major break with, then, web browser provider, Netscape Communications. The original applet was a fantastic start over decade ago, but Sun has been the client-side let down by taking its eye of the ball, concentrating on the server side technologies. Other firms, such as Apple, Microsoft and Adobe steps up their innovation on the user interface. It was not until JavaOne 2007 when Sun announced that it was going to reinvogorate the desktop of Java. By that time, the Sun marketing executives, realised that Java presence on the user interface, including the web platform, was sadly lacking.
First all, they announced JavaFX, a domain specific language and platform for building rich internet applications. JavaFX started as a pet project of Chris Oliver, working at SeeBeyond, an enterprise integration application provider in Silicon Valley. He wanted to faster way to build richer more compelling applications with Java. His decision alone, to create a specific DSL, JavaFX Script, changed the landscape. JavaFX, the platform, supports a scene graph rendering, media, audio and video in its 1.0 release.
As well as JavaFX, Sun realised they required major changes in the runtime environment. They came up with "Consumer JRE" to replace the legacy applet code. The latest Java 6 Update 11 release runs in a separate OS process outside of the browser, which means a Java cannot crash it. The new architecture of the JRE is kernel based, modularised and has a quick starter. Moreover, the new JRE enables, for the first time, a much smaller download (4MB) of the core Java. Most of the work of the "Consumer JRE" will go into the next release of Java 7.
This session will be mainly about an overview of the JavaFX and how it applies to the client side platform. It is now possible to build an entire stack from metal to bass user interface using Java / JavaFX. A compelling Java solution on the user interface, web or desktop was a let down or extremely hard in 2006, but there is the no excuse in 2009. The session will be biased to the enterprise environments. We will look around the corner into the future.