Andreas Schaefer's Blog

Is Microsoft reaching out to Java?

A few Java community leaders were invited to participate in a summit organized by Microsoft and Rick Ross, the founder of JavaLobby, created presentation about it. No matter if you like, dislike or hate Microsoft the presentation is worthwhile to be listened to. I have to admit that I am guilty of bitching about Microsoft at many occasions but I was burned by Microsoft too many times. Nevertheless I had worked with Microsoft tools like Visual C++ since I started to code primarily in Java. Two years ago I even bought the .NET development environment but never found time to look into it. I would like to participate in a project using both Java and .NET but so far I did not get the chance to do it.

As Rick points out Microsoft is, most likely, never going to open-source Windows, Office or .NET. and so I will most of the time use Java because of the huge amount of opens-source projects and libraries. On the other hand this does not mean that I am not willing or able to develop on a Microsoft platform and with their development tools. At the very end we, the developers, are here to serve our customers and they are going to decide on the requirements and the environment. I, for example, have probably not enough knowledge about .NET to work on pure Microsoft project even thought I have a long history with Microsoft but I am probably quite good to work in a heterogeneous environment were .NET mets Java. I think there is enough room for all developers to find their place where they can bring in their knowledge, skills and passion. So, I think, we should be able to life together in harmony and refrain from bitching about the other.

That said I still cannot embrace Microsoft as my new friend, for now, even thought some of its employees took the risk to reach out to a hostile community. Every company has departments that are better and more honest than others. Because I like the open-source J2EE application server JBoss it does not mean that I like Marc Fleury or do think that he is willing to work together with other open-source J2EE projects like Geronimo. On the other hand I do not like the short movies Sun presented at JavaOne making fun about Microsoft because they are not better or behave differently. If Sun would be in Microsoft's position they would not care about open-source and despite the fact they embrace it right now it took them forever to have Java ported onto Linux.

There are still some years ahead for me until retirement and so I will have to face many challenges maybe even the challenge to work for Microsoft, Sun or IBM. I am pretty sure they are companies out there which are worse to work for. At the end I am more interested in the challenge, technology and the result that the language, development environment or platform.

Happy coding – Andy

Comments

• Andreas,

  Please change your picture. It makes you look like an arrogant ass.

  Thanks...

  Posted by: bugmenot147 on March 24, 2005 at 02:09 PM

• .NET is the best thing to happen to Java since hotspot. Competition will cause both projects to accelerate their development, and that's good news for both camps.

  Posted by: jessewilson on March 24, 2005 at 08:43 PM

• I have had a love hate relationship with Microsoft over the years:

  
  Windows NT was a godsend in terms of raising the bar. Prior to its introduction the rabble of proprietary Unix workstations was pathetic in terms of compatibility and desktop features.

  If it weren't for IE, we would probably still be stuck supporting Netscape 4 (ugh).

  If it were not for .Net, I do not think we would be seeing any serious attempts to simplify and improve J2EE.

  Competition is good.

  
  P.S. I think your picture is fine. Nice smile ;-)

  Posted by: johnreynolds on March 25, 2005 at 06:24 AM

• Anyone who could believe a word that came out of Microsoft is obviously mentally defective. It's called battered wife syndrome. "Oh.. But he said he would never hit me again."

  Yeah Right.

  And I'm sure Microsoft no longer wants to engage in illegal, immoral, and unethical business practices that would land anyone who wasn't a multi-billionare with a nice 10 year sentence in a federal prison.

  There are two types of developers that support Microsoft: People that are schills and people that are really, really stupid.

  It does contain and absolutely priceless quote:

  "Their (Microsoft) tools and the Windows platform as a whole are evolving rapidly to keep pace with developer and customer expectations. Again, I know I was not the only one thinking to myself: 'Wow! Those are some serious tools!'"

  I'm sure there was no pun intended.

  
  I'll leave you with a quote from an individual that I consider to possess a bit more wisdom:

  "...different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve...For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate.

  ...it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.

  I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of Microsoft for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and mankind. Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet... Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land...Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? ..We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne...In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free--if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending--if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained--we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight!

  They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty...are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us (Apache, GNU, Gentoo). The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave...There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged!

  ...The war is inevitable--and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.

  It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace--but there is no peace. The war is actually begun!

  ..Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"

  Posted by: threadweaver on March 25, 2005 at 12:04 PM

• I was expecting some serious stuff out of presentation but looks like M$ marketing presentation.

  Posted by: dpsonline on March 26, 2005 at 03:47 PM

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.