JavaFX for the Enterprise - Working Group

[Knut Arne Vedaa]

+1 on the initiative.


Knut Arne Vedaa


On 17.10.2012 09:49, Daniel Zwolenski wrote:
> 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).
>