I hate to see this Java bashing (especially off topic Java bashing).
Yes, maybe you can't write one application and make it run on every
single Java handset in existence, but Java isn't that far off (at least
much closer than it's competitors). The problem isn't Sun or Java, it's
the carriers (particularly DoCoMo) and manufacturers. We've got a big
mess of standards. Any serious content providers have to optimize their
contents for every handset.
Take the ringtone industry as an example, it's a complete mess. We've
got at least 5 different polyphonic ringtone formats (MFi, SMAF, CMX,
SMD, MIDI) and yet even though all DoCoMo handsets share the same
format, you have to make separate files, each optimized for each
handset! To support all major handsets used in Japan you need to make
at least 30 different files for just one song.
Now compare that to Java. It's possible to make 3 applications that
together will work on all Java handsets in Japan. One for DoCoMo, one
for J-Phone and one for AU. That's 3 applications to support roughly 20
or 30 different handsets. Sure, you need to tweak the application so
that it looks best on each handset to account for different screen sizes
and handset "peculiarities" but that's not Java's fault, but the weak
standards setting of the carriers. The carriers should insist upon a
fixed display resolution for each major series of its handsets. They
should also insist that manufactures follow the API to the letter. The
DoJa API is full of exceptions stating how each model does different
things for the same command. That's not an API but a mess!
My point is that Java is capable of "write once run anywhere" but that
can only be possible with decent standard setting from the carriers and
manufacturers. Don't blame Sun, blame DoCoMo!!!
Received on Sat Sep 7 08:12:28 2002