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Client-side Java was a source of both growing excitement and some distress in 2008, and looks to continue on that trajectory in '09. Desktop developers are basking in a shower of new releases and innovation, while also facing the possible demise of Swing, unhappy trade-offs on the Java language front, and the question of whether Sun -- or anyone -- can continue to innovate in a worldwide recession. In this round-table discussion, Jeff Friesen invites leading lights in the Java community to discuss what is most compelling to them about the current moment in client-side Java development. Read on for reflections, predictions, a modicum of polemics, and some interesting scoops about what we can expect (and when) from client-side Java in 2009.
According to a poll on Java.net, two of the biggest news stories for Java developers in 2008 were the respective releases of Java SE 6u10 and JavaFX 1.0. These were not the only significant developments for client-side Java in the past year, however, and for some what may stand out even more strongly is the still brewing controversy surrounding JavaFX as the new Swing. It also seems clear that more excitement, on the JavaFX front and from other client-side technologies, is on the way in 2009.
All of this is, of course, a huge shift from the many years when client-side Java (under the auspices of Sun) seemed to nearly stand still. In this article I attempt to consolidate and make sense of the major developments for client-side and desktop Java in the year behind us. I then look forward, to scope out what's on the horizon in 2009. Discussion is based on actual or pending product releases, official announcements, my personal observations, and the welcome commentary of influential members of the Java community. Sincere thanks to the following for their contribution to this article: Richard Bair, Tim Boudreau, Stephen Chin, Danny Coward, Joseph Darcy, Mikael Grev, Kirill Grouchnikov, Cay Horstmann, and Jim Weaver.
Sun captured much of the spotlight shining on client-side Java in 2008. It released Java SE 6u10 and 6u11, JavaFX Preview SDK and JavaFX SDK 1.0, the LightWeight User Interface Toolkit (LWUIT), and NetBeans 6.1 and 6.5. Sun also hosted the first JVM Language Summit and, of course, the annual JavaOne conference.
Even with Sun shining so brightly, others in the Java community also made headlines in the client space. Controversy erupted over Sun's emphasis on developing JavaFX largely at the expense of continued Swing development. The OpenJDK project committed its first contribution from a non-Sun/non-ex-Sun employee. The JFXtras and WidgetFX projects debuted. Even Microsoft made some Java news.
Other than announcements of the forthcoming JavaFX SDK and a cross-platform video codec from On2 Technologies, JavaOne 2008 was disappointingly light on client-side Java news. For those seeking excitement in this space, technical sessions were a better bet.