[ Thanks to Kevin
Reichard for this link. ]
“Java should be a natural fit for Linux. By compiling code to
architecture-neutral byte codes, Java applications run on any
platform where you can get a Java runtime engine. Furthermore, the
Java object-oriented programming language has taken the world by
storm, creating one of the fastest-growing job markets.”
“Java, though, has never really taken off on Linux. Part of the
problem was that new Java release appeared on Windows NT and Sun’s
Solaris for a long time, often years, before they appeared on
Linux. With new Java updates coming out about every six months, or
sooner, this meant that Linux was among the also-rans when it came
to support for Java. Because of that, and perhaps because of
personal preferences, most Linux developers stayed away from
Java.”
“Well, all that has been changing. IBM, in particular, has
been leading the fray with releases of both a 1.1.8 JDK, or Java
Development Kit, and a 1.3 preview release. Also noteworthy is
IBM’s incredibly-fast jikes Java compiler. … Now, Sun
Microsystems, creator of the Java language, is coming along,
too. Sun already released an official Linux version of the
1.2.2 JDK… This provides a standard, official version of Java 2.
The 1.2.2 JDK level provides the baseline where most Java
developers are working at.”