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Topic: Software Development

Eclipse launches super run-time project as alternative to Java and .NET

Summary: The Eclipse organization has amassed a huge installed base of developers using its Java-based open source development tools. Now the organization has set its sights on the run-time arena and will take on Sun's Java and Microsoft's .

Paula Rooney

By for Linux and Open Source |

The Eclipse organization has amassed a huge installed base of developers using its Java-based open source development tools. Now the organization has set its sights on the run-time arena and will take on Sun's Java and Microsoft's .NET with what it says is an agnostic open source component model that runs across multiple operating systems and computing tiers.

At EclipseCon 2008 in Santa Clara, Calif on Monday, the project leaders announced the Eclipse Runtime project (Eclipse RT) an initiative to build an open source run-time technology based on its own Equinox, a lightweight OSGi compliant run-time. Equinox, the core run-time platform for Eclipse, is not new. The run-time is used by Actuate, BEA, Code 9, Iona, IBM and Oracle and is reportedly deployed on millions of developers' desktops. (the announcement comes three days before the vernal Equinox

What is new is the overarching effort to unify the organization's many run-time projects including Equinox, the Eclipse Communications Framework, EclipseLink, Rich Ajax Platform (RAP), Riena and Swordfish into a unified project and establish a consistent open source run-time and component model that runs across all operating systems and computing tiers.

Developers have build many rich client platform applications based on Equinox and more recently the run-time has been used as a server platform for Ajax aplications, web services and client/server applications.

"There's no consistent component model across all tiers -- desktop, server and mobile -- and all platforms," Eclipse Foundation Director Mike Milinkovich, noting that Microsoft's .NET is cosnistent across tiers but lacks multi-platform support while Sun's Java is good at cross-platform support but has different component models on servers, desktop and mobile devices.

Eclispe also introduced what it says is a new Component Oriented Development and Assembly paradigm that not only offers a consistent model that spans across all computing tiers and operating system platforms but that also provides more flexibility in assembling and customizing applications and a viable integration mechanism for customers, vendors and partners.

Eclispe also launched today a new Equinox community portal on its web site to educate developers on Equinox, OSGi and related Eclipse runtime projects.

It will be interesting to see how Microsoft and Sun respond to the Eclipse run-time announcement. Sun offered no official statement on Eclipse's announcement today but did announce the release of a beta version of its IDE NetBeans 6.1 that provides better support for open source scripting technologies and tighter integration with the MySQL database it purchased earlier this year.

Interestingly enough, Eclipse's Equinox announcement comes three days before the vernal equinox, the precise moment when the center of the Sun can be observed directly above the earth equator.

Seriously, though, do you think Eclipse is right on with its Equinox initiative and what will this mean for Eclipse's Java-focused developers?

Topics: Software Development, Open Source

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36 comments
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  • Equinox is a great ideea...

    but I'm wondering if Eclipse has the resources to pull it off. Afterall $un and M$ invested billions before their runtime became usable and accepted.
    Linux Geek
    Reply Vote

  • No one trusts IBM...

    Eclipse has lost the trust of the community at this point, it's
    under IBM's iron grip, and it seems like everything it touches
    turns into incredibly complexity. Equinox seems no different,
    it's dead on arrival.
    linux_lover
    Reply Vote

  • Wait a minute? Why do we need this?

    I thought that was SOA was supposed to help abstract? Common object models sound great on paper. In reality, they add a LOT of complexity.
    Heatlesssun1
    Reply Vote

    • For 2 reasons...

      1) Because it can be done (people will always try to do it).
      2) It might actually be a good thing, getting the best of the Java and .Net approaches working under the one banner.
      zkiwi
      Reply Vote

      • 2 real reasons

        .NET works great on my phone, my desktop and my web and file server, but it won't work on anything not Windows (like my cluster, my Linux webserver or my wifes phone) and it runs the same on them all that it does run on.
        Java runs on everything, but on every different platform it's a different flavour of java, me, ee, se ...
        Equinox will run on them all, and the same on them all. One code runs everywhere not one code runs on all my Windows boxes or one code with alterations on everything.
        sysop-dr
        Reply Vote

  • No way this takes off...

    Most developers I know enjoy the richness of Visual Studio and the elegance of .NET. Cross platform is not important as most other platforms are dead or dying. Really, anyone at this stage of the game ought to just cede their markets to Microsoft and move on.
    Mike Cox
    Reply Vote

    • 9.5 .....

      Succulent, VERY succulent. Guarantied to catch some fish ....

      A CLASSIC MC if there ever was one !!!
      Linux_4u!
      Reply Vote

    • Ha Ha Drum roll....Is that you Mike Cox

      Oh Wait...it [i]IS[/i]
      Never mind.
      D T Schmitz
      Reply Vote

    • 9.5

      I'm surprised that you know any developers that use something other than VS or that develop for platforms other than Windows (this would call your loyalties into question).

      Seriously, MS has been discouraging portability for years (that was the real purpose of the "Windows compatible" logo programs of years past, but never as bluntly as you put it here.
      John L. Ries
      Reply Vote

      • Yes. 9.5. Looks like his had a talk with his rep. (nt)

        nt
        hkommedal
        Reply Vote

    • Visual Studio...

      Is the entire reason why .Net succeeds. .Net itself isn't much better than java, just a large update of the same concept. That and it lacks annoying concepts like 'everything is a method.'
      Spiritusindomit@...
      Reply Vote

    • I have a better idea...

      Rather than ceding stuff to Microsoft, maybe you should considering buying your brain back?
      DarkPhoenixFF4
      Reply Vote

      • His rep. has the majority of the shares in that, so he has

        to be careful. He could risk that his rep. goes for a complete hostile takeover. We don't want that to happen, do we ?
        hkommedal
        Reply Vote

      • it's not Mike's fault that

        all other development environments suck if you compare them to Visual Studio. They really do. Not much anybody can do about that.
        royalstream
        Reply Vote

    • He's Back

      Well Mike I see your's your same old self.
      OldMarine
      Reply Vote

    • Huh?

      Mike, this is an eclipse story. If all the guys you know only use .NET how do you even know what eclipse is?
      Now take it that microsoft does not own the web space, given that they have such a low percentage of the space, your "facts" are based on bad data so just sit in the corner and stay quiet for a while and you might actually learn something!
      sysop-dr
      Reply Vote

  • Nonsense

    Any solution that uses that Java legacy crud turns me right off, especially after reading the blogs the other day about how domain origin can be circumvented.

    Java is done. It might be cross platform, but it's done because it's trying to be a language and an environment at the same time.

    My take, the answer will be some sort of native-emulated environment like VM ware or Virtual PC machine that will launch to allow a web app to interact with the user. When the app is done, the VM dies and get re-created for next time.

    Most basically, this would look a lot like a chroot environment that is dynamically refreshed each time you launch a browser session, with multiple environments for multiple sessions.

    A more moderm way might be something like parallels with coherence. Your browser runs in a virtual world and the window are fully integrated into the desktop OS.
    croberts
    Reply Vote

    • So..

      How do you intend to code for non-windows platforms, and in particular I'd emphasize server-side stuff?
      zkiwi
      Reply Vote

      • Things would probably be easier, certainly different

        Since you have a whole virtual environment to code to, basically any languange code could be downloaded on request via the browser.

        You want an AJAX-style wordprocessor? It's coded in C or C++ or Ruby or whatever and the source is downloaded and compiled on demand in the VM.

        All that would be missing for a web environment is a common window-ing library and some a basic common I/O API.

        Code gets downloaded, compiled on demand, and poof, a nice Desktop OS-integrated window gets created for the user to interact with.

        The security model would be much easier, essentially changing from worrying about the desktop OS getting compromised to limiting the virtual environment's world-view (network sockets, printing, etc)... sort of .NET security style to use one possible example.

        I think this is the way to go ultimately.
        croberts
        Reply Vote

        • The security model would be...

          The real sticking point in all this.
          zkiwi
          Reply Vote
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