[GEEKY] Mac will be discontinuing support of Java

This is a weird development. Java is a super well established language, why would Apple decide to stop developing it:

"Apple's announcement that they would be ceasing future development of their version of Java for the Mac has generated concern amongst Java developers." (from : Steve Jobs Comments on Apple's Java Discontinuation - Mac Rumors.)

N.B. Apple is not saying they are ceasing support of Java, but development of Java. I guess on other platforms (Windows etc.) the Java support and the Java code provided all comes from Sun/Oracle.

Up to now Apple has been on the forefront of providing a strong Java implementation on OS X. This presumably was because Apple felt strategically that they needed to have a strong Java, and that Sun/Oracle would not be providing it, presumably^2 because the OS X installed base was not large enough to justify it. So in summary:

Apple previously believed:

  1. OS X can't be credible if it doesn't have a strong Java implementation.

  2. Sun will think that OS X is not a big enough market to justify the investment.

And now Apple believes:

  1. OS X no longer needs Java for credibility

  2. Perhaps the tables are now turned, and Sun/Oracle will need to have OS X to be credible going forward.

Interesting…

p.s. I just saw this blog post where James Gosling comments on Java on Mac and other recent developments.