No JavaFX for iOS, Android or WP - why not?

[Johan Vos]

Richard, all,

My 2 cents on this:
1. Once the code for the native libraries is open-sourced, I expect the
community to jump on it. Without source code, we are complete dependent on
what Oracle decides.
2. I hear the message that you want customers, not (only) developers asking
for JavaFX on mobile. I understand the motivations behind this.
Unfortunately, I'm not a big Oracle customer (I don't even own an Exalogic
;)), so I can't be of much help here.

But I doubt there will be many end-customers asking for JavaFX on mobile.
I'm active in a number of projects where the customer (and some of them are
rather big, like some the biggest media companies in Belgium) require a
Desktop application and a Mobile/Tablet application. If the desktop
application is targeted towards millions of users, it is hard to convince
the customer to do this in something else than HTML. When talking about a
limited group of users, JavaFX is absolutely in the picture.

For the mobile, the situation is completely different. The mobile/tablet
counterpart of a project is often seen as fancy, very important for
marketing, should be extremely intuitive,... and most customers I am
talking too prefer a native application over a mobile web application.
However, at least the people I talk to don't care if it is a JavaFX app, a
native iOS app, a native Android app,... As long as the application can be
downloaded using the respective appstores (which implicitly indicates the
app adheres to some standards), it's all good. So they won't be knocking on
Oracle's door easily, I'm afraid.

As a developer, I do care about the underlying technology. I want to write
a single application and run it on every platform. Speed of development,
bug fixing, maintenance, operational cost, abstraction of changes in
underlying OS,... those are areas that are very important to me as a
developer. As a matter of fact, it makes a HUGE difference for a developer,
but a minor difference for the customer. In the end, it will be cheaper for
the customer, since development cost will be lower. This will become more
important in the future, I believe. But at this relative early stage of
"app development" and the premature stage of "JavaFX app development", it
is hard to measure the impact of development cost on the willing of
customers to talk to Oracle about supporting JavaFX on mobile/tablet.

- Johan


2012/10/9 Richard Bair <richard.bair at oracle.com>

>
> > It's blatantly clear that Java developers *crave* JavaFX on mobiles and
> yet
> > Oracle are waiting for clear commercial interest to justify such support?
> > As has been pointed out several times, JavaFX cannot be considered a
> success
> > if it is limited to the scope of the desktop and perhaps some embedded
> > devices.  Many predict that the PC in its current form will largely
> > disappear in the next 5 years so where would that leave JavaFX?
> >
> > Java developers are largely passionate about their language and do not
> want
> > to learn Objective C or C# or whatever language is required on each
> device.
> >
> > In my opinion, being able to code in Java and deploy to Windows, Linux,
> > MacOS, iOS, Android, Metro etc. could propel JavaFX to amazing heights as
> > the best platform for client side software development on the planet.
> > Please Oracle, don't miss this enormous opportunity!  What do we have to
> do
> > to convince you that this REALLY IS A GOOD IDEA?
>
> The anger and passion exhibited on this thread is very gratifying and very
> helpful.
> Even more helpful would be to funnel as many developers to me as you find
> that
> have a demand for FX on smartphones and tablets. You'll not find more
> passionate
> partisans for JavaFX than here in the Java group. Being able to demonstrate
> industry demand and commitment is what we need. Of course, when JavaFX is
> open sourced (as Hasan announced at JavaOne we will complete shortly), then
> of course anybody could do a port to iOS / Android. The question isn't
> about whether
> or not JavaFX will be on smart phones -- it will be. The question is who
> is funding
> it and who is supporting it. Of course many of us feel that supporting iOS
> and
> Android is at least as important as Windows and Mac. However, it is hard
> to fault
> the guys paying the bills for asking for some evidence of that viewpoint.
> Customers
> beating on our doors demanding support for FX on these devices is exactly
> that
> evidence.
>
> But in any case, this is an open source project, and regardless of whether
> Oracle
> foots the bill, I have no doubt that FX will be on iOS, Android, and
> Windows Metro.
> If you'd like to help, funnel your demands and use cases to me (and they
> have all
> the more weight when there is a real commercial demand behind them)!
>
> Richard