The Java Store – Project Vector
May 25, 2009 . Posted in the wonderful internet.
So Jonathan Schwartz’s blog is alive again. This time we get to learn about the new Java Store.
Here are the facts (extracted from the Jonathan’s blog):
Project Vector:
“[...] is a network service to connect companies of all sizes and types to the roughly one billion Java users all over the world. Vector (which we’ll likely rename the Java Store), has the potential to deliver the world’s largest audience to developers and businesses leveraging Java and JavaFX.”
How will it work:
“Candidate applications will be submitted via a simple web site, evaluated by Sun for safety and content, then presented under free or fee terms to the broad Java audience via our update mechanism. Over time, developers will bid for position on our storefront, and the relationships won’t be exclusive (as they have been for search). As with other app stores, Sun will charge for distribution – but unlike other app stores, whose audiences are tiny, measured in the millions or tens of millions, ours will have what we estimate to be approximately a billion users. That’s clearly a lot of traffic, and will position the Java App Store as having just about the world’s largest audience.”
More details:
“For details on how Vector will work, when it’ll be available, how to submit your content or application – alongside insights into Project Vector’s technology, roadmap, features and business model, come see us at JavaOne…”
And here are my biased comments:
1. The Java Store will annoy developers: if the storefront is taken by the developers that pay the big bucks rather than the developers that write awesome apps then this Java Store will be one store I won’t develop for.
2. If deploying the apps will require Netbeans (why do I sense that it will?) then this will annoy even more developers. Unlike Microsoft or Apple’s environments (where you know form the beginning that you kind of have to use their tools since the whole environment is closed) the Java environment is supposed to be open. Forcing Netbeans down the throats of thousands of developers would be a mistake as it will alienate them…
3. Windows only: Jonathan is talking about an audience of billions. I wonder how many of those though sport a recent version of the java runtime. Just consider the countless computers which still run java 1.4, all the Macs and the *nix systems out there.
What do you think?
Cheers…
Tagged: java, javame
Paul on May 25, 2009 - 8:33 pm
Where did you get the NetBeans assumption from? He said “submitted via a simple website”.
The “billions” is not referring to Windows. He’ll be talking about all the Java-enabled mobile phones here.
I agree with you about the bidding for placement thing though. That sounds a bit dodgy. However I would imagine there’ll also be listings for ‘most downloded’, highest rated’ etc.
Nick on May 25, 2009 - 8:40 pm
Thanks for the comment Paul. He did say “simple website” indeed. It is not even an assumption, just a fear…
What I wanted to say is that should Netbeans become a must have tool then that will be a problem. At the moment I don’t think there has been an announcement regarding Netbeans and it is my hope that there never will be…
I only brought up Netbeans because I have attended one too many Sun events where everything they talk about has to somehow point out Netbeans.
Let’s just hope I am wrong…
Paul on May 26, 2009 - 7:32 pm
It’s understandable that Sun talk about NetBeans a lot. It’s their in-house IDE product, so it’s natural that new technologies they develop are tried out there first. It’s a good IDE. However I am sure they are well aware that other IDEs (specifically Eclipse) are more popular. I doubt that they would try to tie the Java Appstore so closely to NetBeans. It would be counterproductive to the goal of making the store a success.