IBM: Java technology is mission critical

“Java technology today is squarely in the middle of business enterprises — all types, all sizes, all over the world,” says IBM’s General Manager for Java software, Pat Sueltz.

Sueltz told a keynote audience at Java Business Expo Conference in New York that Java technology has become so popular with business because it wraps neatly around existing enterprise systems, and also because the Java platform was developed in an open, collaborative envirnoment.

“With Java technology, you get an open solution approach that allows you to leverage your already purchased software — your already purchased products — rather than investing additional dollars in your software. It’s about making every company’s stuff work better,” says Sueltz. “Java technology is putting teeth into the concept of open architecture — helping us pave the way for the kinds of applications that we only used to dream of.”

“Java technology has gone mission-critical in a big way.”

Bigger than one company

“I love IBM and I’ve been with IBM for a long time,” said Sueltz, continuing on the open systems theme. “But the point is, this is bigger than any one company. Java technology is bigger than IBM… it’s bigger than Sun… it’s bigger than Microsoft… it’s bigger than Novell — it’s bigger than any of us.”

The huge numbers of companies that are adopting Java technologies are creating a new environment in which single-vendor solutions are passe: “If somebody walks into your office and tells you that simplicity can be achieved by buying only one operating system, throw ’em out on their ear! If someone tells you that the future of computing is about being a slave to any one company, throw ’em out! If someone tries to lock you in to only one way of doing things, throw them out!”

Java technology and XML

Sueltz told the audience that XML, the widely recognized “eXtensible Markup Language” specification, is another important key to spreading the use of online open systems. “XML makes online information smarter,” said Sueltz.

IBM expects the combination of Java technology and XML to be very attractive in enterprise environments where data and transactions move through many different kinds of databases, operating systems, and hardware platforms. “If you’ve got all of these different systems working with the Java platform, guess what the integration point is? It’s Java technology. It’s Java technology that brings it together. And, XML, which move with your data. This is all about ensuring that the software industry gives you, our customers, what you’ve been asking for for a long time.”

Congratulations on Java 2 software

Though the speech primarily centered on the general benefits of Java technology, Sueltz took time to mention the newest, just-released edition of the platform: “Congratulations to Sun on the Java 2 platform!”

“The Java 2 platform is a stable framework that incorporates the new features that developers already have experience using in conjunction with JDK 1.1,” explains Simon Phipps, and IBM Java evangelist.

You can read about, and download, the Java 2 SDK by visiting the Java 2 Software page on java.sun.com.