JavaFX for the Enterprise - Working Group

[Daniel Zwolenski]

So Oracle as an organization doesn't think JavaFX can be a player in the
web/enterprise space and is backing HTML5. I don't agree, JavaFX has the *
potential* to be better. But it's a long way behind and gotten off to a
rocky start; there's a hell of a lot of work to be done and the current
rate, strategy and direction are not going to be nearly enough.

Oracle is a big corporation with many different divisions. The left arm
doesn't know what the right is doing. So let's put aside 'oracle' for a
moment. I want to know: what does the JavaFX team think? Do you want to go
up against HTML5 for the client space, or just settle for a spot on the
fringe?

Below is what I propose.

This proposal needs the full backing of the JavaFX team and management.
Specifically it needs:

   1. Belief that JavaFX can and should be the *number one* client
   development platform for enterprise.
   2. Recognition that the current strategy will not make that happen.
   3. Resources (aka people) allocated to the working group outlined below.
   These people must have enough influence in the JFX platform to legitimately
   be able to influence the direction as needed.
   4. Commitment to supporting this working group fully and implementing
   the strategies and recommendations that come out of it as a high priority
   5. A sense of urgency, and a proactive pursuit of achieving these goals
   with a well defined timeline (i.e. "resources will be allocated by November
   2012" not "we're working on it").

In my opinion, all of these must be met 100%. Otherwise there is no point
starting at all and better to let it go and leave the enterprise space to
other players like HTML5 as 'Oracle' is suggesting. This is your call.

I believe JavaFX can be the best platform for client-side enterprise
application development, capitalising-on, and adding-to Java's dominance in
server side enterprise development.

Do you?


*Proposal to form a working group for JavaFX in the enterprise*

Mission:

   - to position JavaFX as *the* dominant client-side development platform
   for enterprise/business applications


Members:

   - a combination of paid Oracle JavaFX team members, and community
   participants. The Oracle members must have the ability to access senior
   JavaFX management and technical decision makers, and as such influence the
   road map and direction of the JavaFX platform. Community members will be
   those with a background and experience in the enterprise space and who are
   committed to making JavaFX the platform of choice in this space.


Responsibilities:

   - Continuously identify improvements to the JavaFX platform that are
   needed to ensure adoption by enterprise; drive the inclusion of these into
   the JavaFX platform.

   - Continuously identify and monitor trends and developments within the
   enterprise space and competitor platforms (e.g. HTML5, .NET, etc) and
   ensure the JavaFX roadmap provides confidence to enterprise of JavaFX's
   long term viability for their needs.

   - Provide best practices, community/forum support, documentation,
   examples, tool add-ons, frameworks and other aids for integrating JavaFX
   into popular enterprise technology stacks

   - Provide advocacy, publicity and drive general engagement and outreach
   programs for the adoption of JavaFX in the enterprise.


Objectives:

Objectives will be determined by the working group once formed, however
initial objectives will likely include the following:

   - Review the current deployment/distribution options for JavaFX and
   determine ways to improve this to make it competitive with other popular
   enterprise client platforms (e.g. HTML+JavaScript) for primary enterprise
   OS' and platforms

   - Identify the most popular enterprise build and development tools and
   determine a strategy for making JavaFX integrate into these

   - Review popular trends and toolkits within competitive platforms and
   define the ideal frameworks and add-on tools needed by an enterprise client
   (e.g. form validation). Use this list of high-level requirements to
   determine the low-level JavaFX enhancements needed (e.g. allow field
   markers so that a 3rd party validation framework could leverage these).

   - Create a demonstration enterprise application (along the lines of
   PetClinic) demonstrating best practice for integrating JavaFX in a full,
   end-to-end JEE stack.


Longer term objectives may include:

   - Develop (or foster community development of) the high-level frameworks
   that have been identified as necessary for JavaFX in the enterprise. These
   will likely be developed as third-party modules external to the JavaFX core
   framework (i.e. built on top of the features provided by the core JavaFX
   team).

   - Provide integration with existing or new Rapid Application Development
   (RAD) tools popular within the enterprise Java space (e.g. ROO, etc).