24
Wed, Apr
0 New Articles
  1. You are here:  
  2. Home
  3. MORE
  4. Commentary
  5. Analysis of News Events
  6. Eclipse Tools Enter a Crowded Market

Eclipse Tools Enter a Crowded Market

Analysis of News Events
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times
For several months, IBM has been quietly releasing reports that indicate how it will migrate users of its existing WebSphere and VisualAge development tools to new tools based on the Eclipse open-source development workbench. This summer, that migration will begin in earnest for many of those developers, including those who work on the iSeries.

To understand how IBM's tool families are about to change, let's start by studying the products that the computer giant is building on the Eclipse workbench. IBM is rolling out all of these products under the WebSphere Studio brand name, even though many of its non-Eclipse products share this brand. IBM has already announced and shipped two product lines within the new brand: WebSphere Studio Site Developer (WSSD) and WebSphere Studio Application Developer (WSAD). High-end Enterprise offerings, as well as entry-level offerings, are also on the drawing boards.

http://www.mcpressonline.com/articles/images/2002/05-20-02%20EclipseV300.png

[Source: IBM Corporation]

Figure 1: The WebSphere Studio Product Family

 

As Figure 1 indicates, WSSD and WSAD share many of the same capabilities, most of which IBM is delivering as plug-ins to the Eclipse workbench. The biggest difference between the product lines is WSAD's ability to develop and test Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs). Both tools can generate Java applets and servlets as well as JavaServer Pages (JSPs).

The two product lines also differ in the application servers they support. While WSSD supports both WebSphere Application Server 4.0 (WAS 4.0) and the Jakarta Tomcat server, WSAD only targets WAS 4.0. Both WSSD and WSAD will support WAS 5.0 when IBM ships it later this summer. Be aware, however, that WAS 5.0 will likely require new releases of WSSD and WSAD for full support. This is because WAS 5.0 supports the EJB 2.0 specification, while the current Eclipse SDK only supports EJB 1.1. The Eclipse Consortium is preparing an SDK that supports EJB 2.0; once it delivers it, IBM will likely refresh WSSD and WSAD with support for the new SDK.

For many iSeries developers, WSSD will be more than adequate for their immediate development efforts. IBM is positioning WSSD as the follow-on to WebSphere Studio Professional Edition, the non-Eclipse Web development tool that comes packaged with WebSphere Development Tools for iSeries. In addition, WSSD's Java IDE gives it much of the same functionality as VisualAge for Java Professional Edition, another tool in WebSphere Development Tools for iSeries. As such, it is likely that WSSD will replace both of these tools in the next release of WebSphere Development Tools for iSeries. IBM will likely announce and ship this release sometime this summer. At the same time, IBM may also announce an Eclipse-based version of Enterprise Toolkit for AS/400, which provides the Java IDE with access to iSeries functions and data.

If some of your company's programmers are developing EJBs using VisualAge for Java Enterprise Edition, consider migrating them to WSAD. Be aware, however, that WSAD still lacks some of the capabilities that VAJ Enterprise Edition developers are using today, such as the Persistence Builder and Data Access Beans. Given this fact, migrating from VAJ Enterprise Edition to WSAD requires a careful examination of your existing development requirements. Be sure to consult some of the references that follow this article for further information and advice.

Will IBM "Eclipse" Sun and Microsoft?

While WSSD and WSAD offer significant benefits to developers, their greater value lies in the fact that they will work seamlessly with Eclipse-based products from many vendors. As I explained last week, Eclipse is an initiative that IBM and other tools vendors are using to advance an open-source development platform. As such, Eclipse and the tools that vendors build on it won't succeed unless the development platform wins broad support from many vendors.

As Eclipse seeks to gain that support, it faces big challenges from two competitive development platforms: Microsoft's Visual Studio.NET (VS.NET) and Sun's NetBeans project. Like Eclipse, these platforms provide team-based development environments with consistent interfaces. They are also highly extensible via third-party plug-ins or modules, and they're attracting the support of commercial developers and tool vendors.

These similarities attest to the fact that all three platforms are efforts to control the standards to which developers build software and, by extension, to control where that software resides. Microsoft is using VS.NET to get developers to incorporate .NET-based object frameworks in their applications and host those applications on Windows. Sun is offering NetBeans as an open source alternative to VS.NET that tightly adheres to the Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) standards and thereby creates applications that run on J2EE application servers.

While Eclipse also targets J2EE, it reflects IBM's interest in expanding the standard to embrace technologies it is embedding in its own middleware, including Web services and XML-based connectors to legacy systems. Indeed, some IBM executives think of Eclipse as a superset of NetBeans that offers greater functionality across more technology platforms. This infuriates Sun, which claims that Eclipse is an IBM effort to take over the Java standard. Sun points out that NetBeans, unlike Eclipse, uses the Abstract Windowing Toolkit (AWT) and Swing object classes that are part of the J2EE specification. By contrast, Eclipse uses the Standard Widget Toolkit (SWT) and JFace classes, neither of which are part of the Java standard. IBM retorts that SWT and JFace are faster and more flexible, that many Java tools vendors embed non-J2EE technologies in their products, and that they have already submitted SWT and JFace to the Java Community Process for inclusion in the J2EE specifications.

Despite the public acrimony, there's word on the street that IBM and Sun are privately talking about merging the Eclipse and NetBeans platforms or, at the least, establishing a working relationship with each other. Clearly, the cooler heads in both camps understand the value of achieving a resolution. They realize that if they do not, their failure could strengthen Microsoft's hand in setting development standards for Web-based software.

With competition rising among the three development platforms, the coming months will be a time of decision for many software vendors and programmers, including those who work on the iSeries. So what does your development team intend to do? Send me an email with your game plan and let me know the reasons for your choice. Then, stay tuned for further updates on the rapidly changing development tools market.

Lee Kroon is a Senior Industry Analyst for Andrews Consulting Group, a firm that helps mid-sized companies manage business transformation through technology. You can reach him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Additional Reading

All About the IBM WebSphere Studio Family of Development Tools
This site provides an excellent overview of WSSD, WSAD, and their roles in IBM's Eclipse-based product line.

WebSphere Developer Domain--Studio Zone
Here's the best place to get detailed information about WSSD, WSAD, and other WebSphere Studio products.

WebSphere Studio Family Overview
Head here to get general overviews of the entire WebSphere Studio line, including Eclipse and non-Eclipse products.

Transitioning to the New WebSphere Studio Development Products
This page directs you to a wealth of documents that discuss WSSD and WSAD migration issues.

NetBeans.Org Web Site
Point your browser here to learn more about this open-source competitor to Eclipse.

Visual Studio.NET Home Page
Start your exploration of Microsoft's VS.NET platform at this site.

LEE KROON
Lee Kroon is a Senior Industry Analyst for Andrews Consulting Group, a firm that helps mid-sized companies manage business transformation through technology.
BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$0.00 Raised:
$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: