Re: EGL vs. Java

[Joe Pluta <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Justin Taylor wrote:
> I feel that including one EGL license with the base package is a great
> idea.  Selling something sight unseen is a lot more difficult.
>
> Also, did I hear somewhere that EGL would also do Eclipse RCP (Rich
> Client Platform) apps? 
>   
I never really spent a lot of time with the RCP stuff; it might have 
just been me, but I didn't find it very intuitive and I am not much of a 
thick client fan anyway.  However, I can tell you that I think something 
much, much better is on its way - I think the new technology preview 
available in 7.1 is going to change how you look at developing rich 
applications.  I can't tell you much more right now, but the 
announcement is just around the corner, so keep your eyes peeled.

And that's one of the inherent strengths of EGL as a PIM (Platform 
Independent Model, or roughly speaking, a 4GL).  Put it this way: you 
can use things like PHP or RPG-CGI, but those are mature 3GL products 
that aren't going to see any revolutionary changes.  They'll evolve, but 
they won't really innovate.  And the frameworks-based languages like 
Ruby tend to wax and wane pretty quickly in support because they're 
basically just that: frameworks built on top of other technology.  They 
don't usually offer anything new, they simply offer a way to do old 
things faster.

EGL is different.  Because it deals in high-level abstractions, it can 
quickly evolve to meet the changing requirements of the web application 
development environment.  Remember, this thing started out as a 
mainframe product.  In the time I've played with it, I've seen it 
generate COBOL and Java, then JSF for the web, then it added Ajax 
support, all without a bump in the road.  There's also the fact that IBM 
owns the language; because of this they can extend it much more quickly 
than through a full-blown community process, and the results speak 
volumes.  And what you'll see in the next release will simply blow you 
away.  Not one of the other languages being used today, not even my 
beloved JSP Model 2, has the built-in capabilities for Web 2.0 that EGL has.

But you'll have to see for yourself <grin>.  Get started with whatever 
you can get your hands on today.

Joe