Mono, gcj, java, c++, what?

[David Kramer]

On 08/28/2010 06:53 AM, Mark Woodward wrote:
> OK, how about a little thought experiment, say you want to write a 
> server based back-end system these days. The conventional wisdom was 
> that you would use java/J2EE ala tomcat or jboss. With Oracle making 
> legal actions against google for dalvik, there is speculation that java 
> may not be free for very much longer, or at least the "free" version may 
> become stagnant.

I very much doubt that.  Certainly not core Java.  And making their
reference implementation non-free but keeping the spec open are two
different things, anyway.  I don't see how it's in their interest to
close either.  Even they wouldn't be so short-sighted.

> Without debating the point, suppose it is true and the Java runtime 
> becomes effectively non-free. Sure the GPL version will exist, but would 
> a community build around it or would it disband like the open solaris 
> group did?

I personally don't think so.  There's a larger audience for a language
that runs (amost) everywhere than an OS.


> What about gcj? Anyone really use it? Is it any good? I've tended not to 
> use it, opting for the standard sun or open jdk.
> 
> How about Mono? To be honest, I like the c# language better than Java, 
> (almost identical, but some nice additions) but because of its Microsoft 
> underpinnings,

You say that like it's a *bad* thing.  Oh, wait,... it is,  ;)

The problem with Mono is it is beholden to the whims of Microsoft.  If
they take things in a slightly different direction and Mono can't adapt,
or are legally prevented from doing so, they're sunk.  Even if Oracle
started charging for their Java (and I don't think they will), I can't
seem them preventing others from making their own implementation.

> Stick with Java?

ding ding ding!

> Write in C++ using a web service library?

The problem with C++ is the language doesn't define enough of what a
developer needs to do in a real application, making it harder to write
cross-platform code.  Java has command line standards, GUI standards,
several web frameworks, phone standards, embedded framework, etc.

If all you are writing is web back ends, C++ is certainly a valid and
performant option.