Well, this seems like a stupid statement, but for me, “Flex is Java!” We have heard a lot the last year about Java the platform versus Java the programming language, with the push to add scripting languages to the JVM and add extensions beyond the core programming language.
When you look at Flex you find that Data Services is built to run in a Servlet container. The IDE is an Eclipse plug-in. The only thing that really breaks from Java is that the client runtime is not a JVM, but Java has basically failed to ever deliver a viable client side runtime for browser-based applications. So, why not consider Flex / Flash for this option?
That is actually where my statement comes from, as I think Sun should have started claiming, “Flex is Java” in 2007 as a marketing campaign, rather than starting their client side initiative, JavaFX. Even if JavaFX ends up becoming a viable technical option, how will Sun ever profit from it? I know-I know, I read Jonathan Schwartz’s blog and hear they are making money on Java, but in all seriousness… why doesn’t Sun promote things like Flex as successes of the Java platform? Is it just another case of “not built here syndrome?”
