2006

One day has followed another and only a few hours remain in 2005. There isn’t much point

in looking back, but Dagblog has started its fourth year. It’s

been a good while since I wrote the first post on 27 December 2002.

Since then, with varying degrees of success, I’ve tried to learn something myself and pass it on to you.

If I’ve managed even a little of that, I’m tremendously glad.

There’s a lot of new ground ahead in 2006, and existing trends will gather pace. In Java

I’d point to two milestones. Final implementations of the J2EE 1.5 specification should begin

appearing in the first half of the year. Hopefully, in the second half, we’ll see

the first beta of Java 6.0, codenamed Mustang, which all the desktop application

developers are watching.

For web and internet applications, the trend toward using AJAX will deepen

and applications in general will move closer to RIA. I’d venture to say that web application development

will gradually move away from the conventional request-based approach

toward a component-based, event-driven model. This will make room for tools suited to rapid

application development. JavaServer Faces and Java

Studio Creator are evidence of that.

Next year will also bring tests, studies and articles comparing Java

with other technologies. I use the broad term Java deliberately. What

is Java today? It’s a stable, proven platform that keeps evolving and is used

successfully across many parts of IT, from mobile phones to NASA’s lunar rover.

Take both the criticism and the praise with a grain of salt,

because nothing is black and white.

I’ll close by wishing you all success in your personal and professional lives. Simply put,

stay healthy and may things go well for you. Thanks, and stay tuned…