Vislumbrando el futuro de Java

Con fecha 20 de abril, IBM Developers Works publica un intercambio de opiniones entre varios líderes del mundo Java, acerca del estado actual y futuro próximo del lenguaje y su ecosistema. Convocados por Jenni Aloi y Athen O'Shea, intervienen en una mesa redonda, Dan Allen, Neal Ford, Andrew Glover, Richard Hightower, Mik Kersten, Christopher J. Mackie, Alex Miller, Ted Neward, y J. Steven Perry. Las respuestas a distintas incógnitas del estado de Java son una mezcla de confianza en su robustez, reconocimiento de la diversidad de soluciones y recursos en existencia, e inquietudes y dudas sobre el nuevo curso que Oracle dará al lenguaje. Las conclusiones, más vale genéricas:

Java technology is almost 20 years old, and clearly on the cusp of a new era in its evolution. Oracle's stewardship has an important role in shaping the future of Java technology, but so do the will and creativity of the Java development and open source communities.

The Java Community Process has emerged as a topic of real concern with many developers wondering whether — and exactly how — Oracle will keep its promise to both maintain and revitalize the JCP. Many expect the model of free and open source software to change under Oracle — whether subtly or dramatically — and those changes will impact how Java developers relate to the technology and their own contributions to it.

As Java technology enters its maturity, the culture of Java programming is also maturing. The drive for innovation isn't gone, but it's balanced by a growing recognition — both in the programming trenches and among CTOs and business managers — that code must be written with maintainability in mind.

Another force shaping the future of the Java platform is industry making new demands on technology while remaining, in some ways, mired in outdated thinking and ways of doing things. That must change for the Java platform to evolve and keep pace with industry needs.

If there's one message from this roundtable, it's that the future of Java technology is exciting — and also challenging. For Java developers who are able to excel in the space where rapidly evolving technology (such as cloud and mobile computing) meets a specific industry (such as health care and finance), the future looks bright and very busy.