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Sun to Bring VB to Java Platform
May 19, 2006
Tor Norbye, Java Posse podcaster and Sun employee, talks about Sun's secret project to bring a new "VB like" language to the Java platform.
Visual Basic for Java: Project Semplice
The goal is to enable VB developers to use Java platform. It's not for porting existing applications, it just lets you use your VB skills. Compile from VB source into Java classfiles, make VB source code calls into Java platform APIs, etc. It's a new language for the Java latform. It will support standard VB.net concepts.
During the podcast, Tor explains the reasoning for this move in pragmatic terms. To paraphrase, many VB developers see Java as daunting and they may not care what a HashMap is, but should be able to approach the Java platform. Someone in the audience asks the money question:
Do we really want these people coding?
Okay, sort of smug but still funny. Having done Java for 10 years now (and now in VB.net land), I have to say it's probably a good strategy for Sun to do this: for the same reason that Microsoft introduced J#.
More on Tor's blog and the JavaOne 2006 technical session #3576.
Update May 22, 2006: Herbert has posted a detailed blog with screenshots, and former Sun CEO McNealy weighs in at a ZDNet interview.
May 19, 2006 at 07:40 AM in Java | Permalink
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